What A Difference A Father Makes: The Reluctant Champion
by TheUnrealInsomniac
Summary: Raised in magic by a loving family, trained by one of the best Aurors the DMLE has ever seen for a war always on the horizon and the world has a very different Boy-Who-Lived on their hands.
1. No One Camps Like A Wizard

**What a Difference a Father Makes: ****The Reluctant Champion**

**Chapter One: No One Camps Like a Wi****zard**

Harry Potter normally didn't mind waking up early, there was just too much to do in the day to waste it in bed. He'd normally be awake by six and ready for his day by seven.

Four in the morning though? That was pushing it.

So he didn't think he could be blamed when he banished his pillow at the blurry image of his godfather when Sirius came to wake him and Neville up.

'Ooof,' Sirius said. 'Now that wasn't very mature Harr-oof! Harry!'

'Go away Sirius,' Harry said, rolling over to face away from the heinous light that poured in through the open door.

'What Harry said,' Neville said. 'S'too early.'

Sirius crossed his arms and harrumphed. 'You two are worse than Remus. We're going to the World Cup today. Why aren't you lot more excited?'

Harry turned over and glowered. 'We don't have to be awake until six. Now go away or I'll launch something heavier than a pillow at you.'

Sirius groaned and slammed the door in a huff.

The two teens managed to wait thirty seconds before bursting into laughter.

Neville turned the gas lamp next to his camp bed on and sat up.

'That was one hell of a shot Harry,' Neville said. 'Especially as you were firing blind. How'd you manage that?'

Harry chortled and grabbed his glasses off his bedside table.

'Practice and not a small amount of luck Nev.' Harry sat up in his bed and rubbed at his eyes before promptly putting on his glasses and standing up.

'Still, we're awake.' Harry grinned. 'May as well get up.'

Neville stood from his camp bed, arching his back when he reached his full height.

'Yeah. I am kind of excited.' Neville flashed him a grin. 'Not as excited as Sirius though. You'd think a grown man would be a bit more mature wouldn't you?'

The two swapped muted conversation as they changed, like they had when they were little.

Harry cracked his neck and stretched his arms out behind him, his t-shirt stretching across his chest.

'Shall we go put Sirius out of his misery?' Neville asked. 'I bet he hasn't managed to get Remus up either.'

'Probably not.' Harry stifled a yawn. 'I hope he hasn't bothered Hermione though, she's too polite to throw something at him.'

'Don't be so sure Harry, she threw that book at you pretty hard when you wouldn't leave Sue Li alone.' Neville winked.

'I have a thing for Asian girls,' Harry said. He smirked. 'So _sue_ me.'

Neville fixed him with a withering look as he opened the door and motioned for Harry to walk through.

'That was terrible Harry.'

'And?'

Harry and Neville walked into the expansive Potter kitchen, making a point to yawn loudly and glare at Sirius.

Sirius, instead of reacting, laughed heartily as Dobby the house-elf greeted Harry in his usual way … by colliding with Harry's stomach.

'Mr Harry Potter sir is awake! Good morning sir! Let Dobby make yous and yous Longbottoms some breakfast!'

'Mornin' Dobby,' Harry said breathlessly. 'Thanks.'

Dobby's bat-like ears flapped merrily as he rushed to the stove, darting around Sirius as the man made his way over to the kitchen table, a cup of tea in his hand. He sat down opposite Harry, who still clutched his stomach, with a doggy smile.

'You wait 'til he does that after you've been out drinking all night kiddo. Then you'll know nausea,' Sirius teased.

Harry groaned as Neville set about pouring himself a glass of orange juice from the pitcher Dobby had set down in front of them.

'Bet you wish you hadn't tricked Malfoy into freeing him now eh?'

Harry said nothing. Despite his over-exuberant greetings, Dobby was a great elf. He supposed he shouldn't have asked the firecracker of an elf if he wanted to work for the Potters but he hadn't been able to resist the last dig at Malfoy.

The bastard had tried to discredit Dumbledore and had nearly gotten Ginny Weasley killed by planting Voldemort's old diary on her in Harry's second year. The blond pureblood's actions had led to the re-opening of The Chamber of Secrets and, through magic that Harry still didn't fully understand, left a little girl susceptible to the most powerful Dark wizard in a century.

So he felt the least he could do was twist the knife just a little bit, especially if Lucius Malfoy was going to walk away scot free. It'd also been brilliant to watch Dobby throw a grown man down a corridor with elf magic. That was still one of the funniest things he'd ever seen. And he lived with three of the Marauders.

'Oh I don't know about that,' Harry said, as Dobby slid a plate of bacon and eggs in front of him and then Neville. 'Thanks Dobby.'

'Yous is most welcomes Mr Harry Potter sir.'

Sirius shook his head at the house-elf and drank his tea.

'So where's Remus?' Neville asked through mouthfuls of breakfast. 'Still in bed?'

Sirius shifted in his seat but didn't say anything, choosing instead to drain his cup.

'You walked in on him and Tonks going at it didn't you?' Harry asked. 'Again.'

'No!' Sirius protested. 'They were still asleep and they … looked so … well it's just been a long time since I've seen Remus look so … content.'

It was true, Remus' life had seemed to be lacking something and it showed in the way he'd behaved. It had taken Harry a while to figure it out and he'd felt like a complete moron when he did.  
Remus had been lonely.  
Oh he'd been happy, nobody who lived with Sirius and Harry could be anything but amused. However there was always an air of melancholy about him.  
Then Sirius' cousin Nymphadora 'Don't Call Me Nymphadora!' Tonks had come into their lives just as Harry had started Hogwarts.

The perky Auror trainee had been smitten with Remus from the first time they'd met. Even at eleven Harry had noticed that Tonks' hair cycled through differing shades of red and pink every time Remus entered the room for Merlin's sake.  
Then there was the constant spiel of questions Harry had had to suffer from her. Apparently Remus was _fascinating_.  
The biggest giveaway was that Tonks didn't scream and attack Remus when he called her by her full name. She'd nearly killed Harry the last time he'd dared to call her Nymphadora, but she hadn't so much as batted an eyelash when Remus did it.

While it hadn't taken Harry too long to notice Tonks fancied the metaphorical pants off of Remus, the werewolf was completely oblivious. Despite the fact that Tonks' feelings were reciprocated, in spades.  
They'd finally gotten together in Harry's third year when Sirius had locked them in a room and told them to 'stop pussyfooting around and shag already'.

Harry had come home from Hogwarts to find a new couple waiting for him at King's Cross, much to his relief.

'And besides, I only walked in on them once! And the freaky bastards were doing it in my shower!'

Harry and Neville sniggered into their breakfast.

'Only because you were sleeping in my bedroom when we got in Sirius.' Remus yawned as he walked into the kitchen. 'You remember boys? That was when Delia broke up with him and he spent the next week moping like a dejected puppy.'

Sirius gave Remus the finger and received a whack on the nose from the newspaper Remus had been carrying under his arm.

'Bad dog.'

'Arsehole.'

Remus raised a disapproving eyebrow and started to read his paper as Dobby served him a cup of tea. Remus thanked the elf and went back to his paper.

'Where's Tonks Remus?' Neville asked. 'She not awake yet?'

Remus shook his head. 'No, lucky girl has work and can't go to the World Cup.'

'Lucky?' Sirius asked perplexed. 'She's missing the Quidditch World Cup!'

'True,' Remus said slowly. 'But she doesn't have to put up with her cousin acting like an excited child on Christmas morning.'

'Very true Remus,' Harry said. He gave Sirius a scornful look. 'Merlin, how I envy her.'

'Hey!' Sirius whined. 'What is it? Pick on Sirius day?'

'Yes,' Remus said. 'Didn't you get the owl?'

The two teens laughed as Sirius pulled faces at the stoic werewolf, who was more interested in his paper.

Sirius rose in a huff shortly and said he was going for a shower and he expected them to be ready to go when he got back.

'Okay now the overgrown child is gone,' Remus said, placing his newspaper on the now empty chair. 'I assume you two are excited?'

Neville and Harry nodded happily.

'Definitely, it's gonna be ace. Shame England didn't make the final though. That would've been perfect,' Harry sighed.

'Well yes but that's what they get for not listening to James' advice and adding some experience to the team roster as well as youthful rookies,' Remus said with a slight smirk. 'Coach Withers ate a lot of humble pie when England got knocked out in the opening round.'

Neville chuckled and nudged Harry who shook his head.

James had been working on and off as a Quidditch commentator for the past five years. He'd been advised to take up a hobby by Amelia Bones when she found out that James had been sleeping at the Auror barracks for a week straight.

Madame Bones had threatened to put him on suspension unless he took more time off and have some actual fun. At least that's what James said she'd said. Sirius said Amelia had told the elder Potter she'd sneak into the barracks and have her way with him if he slept one more night there.

Harry wasn't sure which he believed but he'd met Amelia Bones a couple times and he'd very quickly learnt that the Head of Magical Law Enforcement had a very wicked sense of humour. The fact that James had blushed heavily whenever Madame Bones was bought up for the next year added a bit of credibility to Sirius' story.

However James never did anything by halves and he'd thrown himself into being a Quidditch pundit. He got rather famous for it as well. That was the reason James had managed to score box tickets for the Quidditch World Cup Final.

'Anyway, where's Hermione? If she isn't awake soon Sirius will be frothing at the mouth,' Remus said.

'I'll go see if she's up,' Neville said a little too quickly. 'She's less likely to hurl something at me.'

'Well you never know Nev,' Harry said in a singsong voice. 'If you're very lucky she might just hurl herself at you.'

Neville blushed scarlet. 'Go to hell Harry.'

Neville left the room swiftly leaving a chuckling Remus with a very smug Harry Potter.

'Young love, isn't it sweet Harry?' Remus asked.

Harry just grinned. 'Mhmm. Shame they're being as stupid about it as you and Tonks were.'

Remus smiled ruefully. 'Well maybe there'll be an event at Hogwarts this year that'll push the two together. Stranger things have happened.'

Harry glowered at Remus. 'Okay, would you stop doing that? It's getting old. The three of you have been dropping cryptic clues all summer long and you won't tell me what's going on. Just tell me already!'

Remus grinned at him and shook his head. 'So we've discussed your friends' love lives, how is yours' going?'

Harry sighed in defeat. 'Fine don't tell me, be an arse.'

Remus' grin widened as Harry left him alone in the kitchen.

Harry shuddered as Neville helped him to his feet. He rubbed the back of his head and winced when he knocked the bump that had formed.

'Good morning folks,' a smiling young wizard in a pair of jeans and a name tag attached to his t-shirt. 'If you could move on, there's another group landing in about five minutes. Your caretaker is Mr Tropple.'

Remus waved at the young man and the group moved out of the way. Harry was still rubbing his head as the next group of wizards were directed by the same man.

'I don't care what anyone says about instant travel,' Harry grumbled. 'There has got to be better ways for wizards to travel in groups.'

'Probably mate, but they've not found it yet so you'll have to suffer,' Neville said.

Hermione smiled at Harry's grimace. 'Well someone would notice thousands of people flying in on brooms Harry. Unless you wanted to Floo into the caretaker's house?'

'Oh sweet Merlin no!' Harry hissed.

Sirius smirked and ruffled Harry's hair. 'Ickle Harrykins' tummy feeling all bubbly?'

Harry glowered at Sirius and punched him in the gut. 'Bite me dog breath.'

The group laughed and Sirius greeted Mr Tropple as they reached his house.

'Morning, are you Mr Tropple?'

Mr Tropple was a touch on the elderly side, grey hair mixing with strawberry blond under the man's cap. He was holding a black clipboard and pen.

'Aye, that's me. Name please?'

'Potter.'

Mr Tropple nodded and ran a finger down his clipboard. 'Pall, Poole, ah 'ere you are Potter. Wait a sec you're already ticked off.' Mr Tropple glared at them. 'Tall bloke with glasses came 'ere earlier. What are you trying to pull?'

'Erm …' Sirius reared back at the man's glare.

Harry shook his head and stepped up to Mr Tropple.

'Did he look like an older version of me sir?' Harry asked.

Mr Tropple scrutinised Harry and then nodded. 'Yeah, you're the spit of 'im. 'E your Dad?'

'Yeah, sorry, we got held up in traffic and he was coming here early. Did he pay?'

Mr Tropple made an 'o' shape with his mouth and then pulled out a small tin and opened it. 'Ah, yeah 'bout an hour ago. He's at the far end of the field next to the wood.'

'Thanks,' Harry said with a smile. 'Sorry about the mix up.'

Mr Tropple grunted and stepped to the side. He glared at Sirius as they passed.

When the group were out of earshot of Mr Tropple Sirius whistled.

'That was impressive Harry, how'd you manage to convince that Muggle we weren't trying to scam him?' Sirius said.

Harry raised an eyebrow. 'Cus I have an honest face Sirius. Oh and I don't have a mouse running on a wheel for a brain.'

'Hey!' Sirius snapped. 'It's not my fault your Dad was early!'

'Sirius, do yourself a favour and be quiet 'til we get to the tent,' Remus said with a hand on his shoulder.

Sirius pouted but he shut up all the same.

'That was pretty slick though Harry, I'm not sure I could have been so calm,' Hermione said. 'And the bit about traffic, when did you get so adept at lying?'

Harry raised an eyebrow and half-smiled, mirroring Hermione's expression. 'Divination, Hermione. If I hadn't had to lie to Trelawney all last year I wouldn't be half as good.'

Hermione and Harry shared a smile and the group walked in comfortable silence, Sirius and Remus saying hello to people that Harry didn't recognise, until they reached a small sign that read: Potter.

The tent wasn't spectacular. It was as tall as Harry and would barely have enough room for the six of them.

'Well it'll be a tight fit,' Hermione said, her cheeks turned a little pink. 'Is this all there is?'

The four men grinned and Harry nudged Neville.

'Don't worry 'Mione, we'll keep you comfy if you ask nicely.' Harry winked at Hermione. Remus and Sirius chuckled behind them.

'Harry!' Hermione squeaked, her cheeks even pinker.

'Potter!' Neville snarled as he punched Harry.

Harry stepped back, narrowly dodging the punch with a victorious grin.

'Behave children,' Remus said. 'Don't worry Hermione, you'll have all the privacy you need. Now after you.'

Remus gestured towards the tent.

Hermione smiled shyly and ducked under the flap of the tent. 'Oh.'

The boys followed in after her. Neville whistled.

The tent was large, much bigger than it looked from outside. The ceiling of the tent was a couple of feet taller than Sirius and there were several compartments.

There were three bedrooms, one was covered with red fabric, another was brown and black and the final one was green. The green one had Hermione's name traced over the fabric in silk. There was also a kitchenette which had a stove, a sink and a cupboard. A wooden circular table was in the middle of the tent, a pole stuck out of the middle and up into the tent-roof.

'See, James made sure there was a separate section for you,' Remus said.

'Yeah but if you get lonely just shout and I'll be over in a shot.' Harry winked.

Hermione's cheeks pinked as she smirked back. 'I thought you had a thing for blondes and Asian girls Mr Potter. It's mean to raise a girl's hopes.' She said coyly.

Harry smirked, 'Well it's always good to experiment.'

Hermione chuckled and shook her head. 'I'll tell Ginny you said that, she was beginning to give up hope.'

Harry shuddered and ignored the chuckling from the other people in the tent.

'Well that was uncalled for,' Harry groused.

Hermione looked unrepentant and was about to say something else when a new voice interrupted.

'Oh I don't know Harry,' James said. 'I think that was rather fair.'

The group turned as one to see James Potter stood in the entrance with an easy smile on his face. His thumbs were looped through the belt holes of his jeans, the fingers resting on top of his pockets and an unbuttoned light blue shirt covered a black t-shirt with hidden Auror issue armour clinging to his torso. His wand holster lifted the shirt sleeve around his right wrist and a second bulge around his right ankle hid his spare wand.

James Potter had been a promising Auror trainee before and during Voldemort's war. Over a decade of active duty had turned him into the most feared and respected Auror since Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody, who bragged to anyone who listened about his 'greatest achievement'.

But to Harry he was just Dad.

'Maybe, but the girl's a nutjob Dad,' Harry said. 'She's always following me around.'

James shook his head. 'You saved her life Harry. What did you expect? Flowers and a thank you?'

Neville chuckled but became fascinated with something on the tent wall when Harry turned his glare on him.

'Point taken,' Harry said. 'Still creepy though.'

James shrugged and walked into the tent proper. 'Didn't have any trouble with Mr Tropple I hope?'

Sirius' ever present smile dimmed for a second but it quickly returned to its full toothy glory. 'Nope. Breezed through.'

'Uh huh,' James said. He turned to Remus who was unpacking his and Sirius' bags.

'Lying.' Remus didn't turn around but Harry, Neville and Hermione could sense Remus' smile.

Sirius glared at Remus. 'Tattle-tale, besides I didn't do anything! The old Muggle just got all uppity because you'd already gone through!'

'Kids, go get us some water, I need to talk to Sirius about the importance of telling the truth. Again,' James said calmly.

'No worries, where are we going?' Harry asked. James would know.

'Twenty minute walk to the north. I thought I saw some Hogwarts students around so take your time.'

Harry nodded and the three teenagers left the tent.

James frowned and sat down on the bench next to Sirius.

James waited for about ten seconds before he let Sirius speak.

'That bad?' Sirius asked. 'What did Dumbledore have to say?'

James groaned and rested his head in his hands. 'He said he thought Wormtail would go scurrying back to Voldemort. Harry's 'vision' apparently confirms it.'

'Vision?' Sirius asked.

James rolled his eyes but nodded.

'Fantastic,' Sirius sneered. 'Do we tell Harry?'

'Maybe. Albus is still rather annoyed with me telling Harry about the prophecy when he killed Quirrell in his first year.'

'And telling him about Voldemort's Horcrux in his second year?' Sirius teased.

'Not to mention that you told him Peter is the reason Lily isn't with us,' Remus intoned, placing three mugs of tea on the table.

'Hmm. This is different though,' James said. 'Harry's tough but I don't know if he'd take having visions about Voldemort well.'

The three men sat in silence, drinking their tea.

'Let this rest James,' Remus advised. 'Albus may be a genius, but he isn't a Seer. He can't know it was a vision for certain. It'll only worry Harry if he knew.'

James grunted but didn't say anything.

'Besides, it'll ruin the World Cup and the excitement of the Tournament,' Sirius piped up. 'Let the kid enjoy himself until we know for a fact Wormtail has turned traitor again.'

'Don't talk to me about that damn tournament,' James said waspishly. 'It's too dangerous. Age line my arse.'

James drained his tea, refilling it with a flick of his wrist.

'You think Harry can get past Dumbledore's age line?' Sirius asked. 'The kid's good but he ain't _that _good.'

James snorted derisively. 'Moody would be pissed if he heard you say that. You know how proud of Harry's progress he is.'

Sirius snickered while Remus just shook his head ruefully.

'True,' Remus said. 'But I don't think Harry will be tempted to try to match wits with Dumbledore, he's too focused on beating Alastor first.'

James smirked despite himself.

'I guess but still …'

'We know James,' Remus interrupted, shaking James by the shoulder. 'We're worried too but Harry's got a good head on his shoulders and Alastor has his ego pretty much in check. He's not like we were at Hogwarts.'  
'Yeah,' Sirius snickered. 'He's not driving himself spare trying to get _one_ girl's attention for a start.'

James smacked Sirius round the back of the head but it did nothing to stop the shaggy man's laughter.

'Arsehole,' James muttered.


	2. The Quidditch World Cup

**Chapter Two: The Quidditch World Cup**

The stadium sang from below as Harry followed his father up the towering stairs to the commentator's box at the top of the building.

Harry whistled and pointed at the sea of green, orange and white that was the Irish supporters.

'Where dyou reckon Seamus and his mum are Nev?' Harry asked, coy grin fixed in place.

They'd bumped into their housemate Seamus Finnigan and his mother while looking for the water pump. Seamus had been so exuberant when he'd spotted them that he'd darted over to them and crowed endlessly about Ireland thrashing Bulgaria so hard that Krum wouldn't be able to fly ever again.

Seamus' mother had been less certain than her son but Mrs Finnigan had still felt the need to make sure they were supporting Ireland in the match. Harry had assured her that they were and had legged it before the Irishwoman could ask any more questions that could get Harry and his friends in trouble.

Neville grimaced at him. 'Don't make me look over the side Potter, the people below won't thank you.'

Harry smirked as Hermione rubbed Neville's back soothingly. The blond teenager lessened his firm grip on the rail and smiled at Hermione with a faint blush.

They continued up the stairs, crowd getting louder and louder as they went, until they came to a glass door with a lacquered red and white frame. The letters QWC embossed on the window.

James held the door open and gestured for the rest of the group to go through.

'Thank Merlin,' Neville murmured as he rushed into the box.

The box was quite large. A pedestal was set up a foot away from the giant window that looked out onto the pitch.

There were ten plump armchairs in rows of five on either side of the commentator's pedestal. A small house-elf was sat on the closest armchair shivering and glancing over at the window with wide eyes. When the elf caught them looking it flinched away and stared at the floor.

'Poor thing must be afraid of heights,' Remus murmured.

Hermione frowned and opened her mouth only to be interrupted.

'Hey Dad how many people sit in here?' Harry asked hastily. 'And why armchairs?'

James shrugged. 'Not sure Harry, rich people are too good to sit on the same seats as the commoners?'

Sirius chuckled and nudged James with his shoulder. 'You're one of us rich people remember, Prongs? Do you want to sit on a plastic seat while commentating with Bagman?'

'I'll be standing so I don't much care.' James walked stiffly over to the pedestal.

Harry shared a grin with Neville and Hermione. James' opinion of Ludo Bagman, the Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports, had been made very clear as the World Cup got closer.

He was, if James was to be believed, the single most irresponsible and childish man in the history of the Ministry of Magic. He'd shirk off his responsibilities onto his assistants in his department and be down the nearest pub at the first opportunity.

Bagman had tried to duck out of a meeting James had been leading, at least Harry thought he was leading it by the way Sirius had talked about it, only for James to order him to sit down or he'd make him.

Harry knew James could be forceful if he needed to be but the way Sirius had described the fear in Bagman's eyes when James had rounded on him, you'd have thought James Potter was the next Albus Dumbledore.

Harry hadn't spent much time in the venerable Headmaster's company, a brief conversation in the Hospital Wing after a Voldemort-possessed Quirrell had tried to steal the Philosopher's Stone and an even briefer conversation in Dumbledore's office after he'd beaten a teenaged Voldemort and saved Ginny Weasley.

Dumbledore had been kind and very endearing when talking with Harry, portraying an almost perfect grandfatherly image. By no means all powerful but certainly worth respecting.

Harry had spent his entire life around some of the most powerful witches and wizards of their generation. He knew what power felt like and felt more than comfortable around it.

However when Dumbledore had lost his temper, the old man had floored him.

It was a subtle thing when Harry first walked into the office, soaked in Basilisk blood and exhausted. It was like a low hum of an electric light, always there but easily forgotten. Then Lucius Malfoy walked into the office like he freaking owned it.

The normally twinkly eyed Headmaster had vanished and the revered Albus Dumbledore, Supreme Mugwump, defeater of Gellert Grindelwald and most powerful wizard for generations sat in his place.

Power had radiated from Dumbledore so much that Harry's grip on the Sword of Gryffindor tightened until Harry wasn't sure he'd be able to let go again. Ginny had been trembling behind him for Merlin's sake.

So either Ludo Bagman was a coward or Harry had seriously underestimated his dad's capabilities. He was betting on Bagman being a coward.

'Come on,' Neville said. 'Let's sit down, I think we're the front row on the right.'

The group moved with Hermione glancing at the shivering elf every now and then with a heavy frown.

'Who'd leave their house-elf in the commentator's box? Surely they'd know if their elf was afraid of heights?' Hermione whispered as the trio took their seats.

Neville shook his head. 'Not necessarily 'Mione. That elf's owner might not have a clue. They probably only know its name and maybe how old it is. Maybe.'

'But that's awful!' Hermione gasped. 'Your families aren't like that.'

'No but we're the exception rather than the example Hermione.' Harry said. He rested his chin on the heel of his hand and glared into nothing. 'Most have the decency to treat their house-elves with something like care though.'

'Why hasn't anyone done something about it?' Hermione looked between the two boys who refused to meet her gaze. 'Goblins have rights why don't house-elves?'

Neville sighed. 'Goblins fought for them … viciously. House-elves haven't and probably never will.'

'What do you mean? Surely they don't want to be treated like they are.'

'Probably not but they're naturally submissive 'Mione. I doubt they even think freedom is a possibility let alone something to aspire towards.'

'But Dobby …' Hermione started.

'Hermione,' Remus butted in. The werewolf gave her an apologetic look but shook his head. 'This isn't the place for this conversation. Try not to think about it and we'll talk after the World Cup.'

Hermione looked mutinous but did as she was told. Neville squeezed her shoulder and mouthed 'sorry' while Harry glared out of the window and held onto the armrest of his chair with a vice-like grip.

The bang of the door to the box against the wall and Ludo Bagman's boisterous shout caught their attention and Harry jumped on the distraction for dear life.

'Oh look the mascot's here.'

Ludo Bagman was dressed in his old Wimbourne Wasps Quidditch robes. The fabric was stretched across his belly and clutched at his arms and legs desperately. Regardless of how old the robes had to be the yellow and black shined as if they'd been purchased the day before.

Bagman himself looked like an overgrown child. The stupid smile on his face was so wide Harry wouldn't have been surprised if it was spelled on. The cherub cheeks and wavy blond hair certainly didn't help the man who was supposed to be the Head of Magical Sports and Games in the authority department.

'Oh good we're not the first ones here!' Ludo cheered. 'James! So I'm not even the first commentator on the scene, I really must have been dallying.'

A crowd of people Harry didn't recognise rushed through the door and started filling the seats, shooting Ludo dark looks as he bounced over to James, pockets jangling with what Harry assumed was gold.

'Ludo,' James greeted. 'What kept you?'

Ludo tugged on the neckline of his robes. 'Well you know, I was amongst the fans, getting a feel for the atmosphere.'

'Fine,' James said. He pulled out his wand and pointed it at his throat. 'Shall we get started? _Sonorous!_'

Ludo frowned for a second but nodded happily. He pulled his own wand out of his pocket and pointed it at his own throat in a grand sweeping gesture. 'Certainly. _Sonorous!_'

'Good evening ladies and gentlemen!' Ludo's voice resounded around the stadium. 'I'm Ludo Bagman, and with me is James Potter. Say hello James.'

James shoulders stiffened a little but quickly loosened. 'Hello Ludo. Thank you for letting me join you up here tonight for the World Cup match. It promises to be a nail biter.'

Ludo's grin, if possible, got even wider. 'Doesn't it just? Well now we've made our hellos we'd like to welcome you all to the 442nd Quidditch World Cup!'

* * *

'Merlin what a great match,' a very ruddy-faced Sirius said. An empty mug dangled from his fingers. 'Did you see the way the Irish Chasers moved? Bet they're demons between the sheets!'

'Sirius!' Hermione squeaked from her seat on Neville's bunk. Neville sat next to her.

'Sorry Hermione,' Sirius slurred. 'Forgot you were here.'

'Then stop talking dog breath,' Harry said from the floor next to the bunk. 'You seem to forget she's here every five minutes.'

Sirius was completely unrepentant and staggered over to the kitchenette where Remus was cooking something Harry couldn't see.

'Sorry Hermione.' Harry propped himself up on his elbows. 'He's just annoyed Dad isn't here drinking with him.'

Hermione smiled, her cheeks still a little pink. 'It's okay Harry, he's just celebrating.'

Harry smirked. 'He was right though.'

'About what Harry?' Hermione asked, after a long suffering sigh. She fixed him with an expectant look.

Neville watched him as he drank from his own mug.

'It was a great game.' Harry winked and was rewarded with groans. 'What?'

'Come off it Harry, it's too late for you to be making what you think are clever jokes,' Neville said.

'I am insulted that you think of me that way Nev.' Harry placed a hand across his chest. 'I was too busy looking down Hermione's top to notice the Irish Chasers.'

'Harry,' Hermione said exasperatedly. 'Sirius at least has an excuse for being a pig.'

Harry smirked up at her and winked. 'What can I say? I have an eye for beauty.'

Hermione blushed and looked away from Harry. She folded her arms under her bust, only forcing her breasts up and gaining a dirty chuckle from Harry.

Shee raised an eyebrow and huffed at Harry who was now waggling his eyebrows at her.

Hermione hurriedly unfolded her arms and scowled at Harry but the teen didn't stop staring at her chest.

'I'm going to see what's keeping Remus with the food.' Hermione stood and rushed from the boy's compartment, kicking Harry in the side as she went.

'She's gonna curse your nuts off eventually, you know that?' Neville asked when he was sure she was out of earshot.

Harry rubbed his side gingerly as he lifted himself up onto the now vacant spot on Neville's bunk. 'Nah, she knows I'm only messing.'

'Hmm.' Neville smacked him upside the head. 'Don't do it again.'

'Well that was unnecessary.' Harry pouted. 'I wasn't really staring down her top.'

'I don't care.' Neville glowered at him. 'She might not hit you but I will.'

'Jealous much?' Harry teased. 'Just cus I have the balls to stare at her boobs and you don't.'

'Shut it.' Neville shook his head. 'Now who were you really drooling over? The Veela?'

The Veela were the beautiful women that the Bulgarian team had used as mascots. The Irish had used Leprechauns. Harry knew which he preferred.

'Only until they transformed when Troy scored the tenth goal. Merlin, that was scary.'

The beautiful women had turned into something similar to harpies and screeched like birds being pushed out of a nest. That was enough to kill any mood.

When they'd started throwing fireballs at the Leprechauns Harry had started focusing on the match properly. Well, more the Irish Chasers but that was just splitting hairs as far as Harry was concerned. Personally he felt better staring at women who weren't using magical lures to get his attention. The aura didn't actually affect him all that much. It was more the principle of the thing if he was honest.

'Hmm, the referee's dancing was hilarious though. Poor bloke is probably out there getting just as drunk as the Irish fans.' Neville drained his mug and got up. 'What did you think of Krum?'

'Excellent.' Harry grinned. 'I still can't believe he caught that Snitch with the pounding the Beaters were giving him.'

'Yeah, did you see what the Bludger did to his nose when they came up into the box though?' Neville shook his head. 'Thank Merlin for magic. He doesn't need a broken nose to make his face any worse.'

Harry chuckled. 'True but you can be the one to tell him that if we ever meet him.'

Neville grinned and drained his mug. 'Deal.'

'Food's up kids,' Remus shouted. 'Come get it before Sirius eats all of it.'

Harry and Neville rushed towards the meeting section where Hermione sat with an arguing Sirius and Remus. She had three plastic plates in front of her.

She gave Harry a haughty look and held out a plate in each hand. 'Are you done being a perv Harry?

Neville took a plate from Hermione and sat down without a look back at his potentially doomed friend.

'Sorry 'Mione.' Harry grinned wide. 'You're just too cute when you're flustered.' He batted his eyelashes at her. 'Please may I have some food?'

Hermione glared at him but relented. 'Arse.'

Sirius tittered behind Hermione only to be elbowed in the side by a smiling Remus.

Harry tilted his head to the side and winked at her. 'Thanks gorgeous.'

Hermione opened her mouth but a high pitched scream and a loud bang interrupted her comeback.

The group rushed to the entrance of the tent, food left forgotten on the table. Sirius stumbled as he reached the entrance but righted himself by grabbing Remus' shoulders.

'What the fuck?'

Fires were dotted all over the campsite and people were running and shouting hysterically. At first glance they were just people getting a little rowdier in their celebrations and Harry was about to turn back for his dinner but when the next scream came a sinking feeling hit his gut.

'I'm gonna guess that's not the Irish,' Neville said. 'What's going on Remus?'

Remus eyes were scanning all over the campsite and his head was tilted so his right ear was closer to the noise. 'Sirius do you hear that?'

'No but I can see them.' Sirius wasn't wobbling anymore and his face was set in stone. 'Death Eaters. The sick fuckers.'

'Death Eaters?' Harry asked. 'What do you mean Death Eaters?'

Sirius and Remus had disappeared back into the tent.

'Oi! What do you mean Death Eaters?' Harry repeated. 'What's going on?'

Sirius was necking a potion from a small vial and pulling out his wand. Remus however was busying himself around in James' backpack that had been left behind when they'd gone to the stadium before. He pulled out a silvery cloak and thrust it into Harry's hands, which promptly disappeared under the soft fabric.

'Harry, you know what this is. I want you three to use it and make a beeline to the forest, that's where everybody else will be.' Remus was looking at him desperately.

'But where are you going?' Neville asked.

'We've got to go help,' Sirius said. 'I doubt this is anything more than former Death Eaters getting drunk and having a little fun.' Sirius spat the last word.

'Then let us come with you.'

'No Harry.' Remus took his shoulders in both hands. 'You three are still in Hogwarts and James would never forgive himself if anything happened to you. None of us would.'

Harry clenched his teeth together. He could handle himself damn it, Moody had made sure of it. The Death Eaters were probably drunk and wouldn't be nearly as tough as Remus was leading him to believe.

Harry glanced at Neville and Hermione. Neville had Hermione in his arms and was whispering something that Harry couldn't hear. Harry would probably be fine but what about Neville and Hermione?

'Fine.' Harry patted Remus hand. 'Fine.'

'Good lad. Leave anything you don't need, it'll just slow you down. Stay together and look out for each other.'

'Remus, I've gotta go,' Sirius said.

'Go, I'll be right behind you.'

Sirius didn't need telling twice and was out of the tent in a heartbeat.

Remus sighed and gave the teenagers one last look.

'Be safe,' he said and then he too disappeared into the night.

'Harry?' Hermione asked. 'Is that…?'

The fabric was cool to the touch as Harry unfolded it to its fullest. His arms disappeared before him making Hermione gasp.

'It's my father's invisibility cloak.' He folded it back up. 'Come on we've gotta get out of here.'


	3. The Hogwarts Express

**Chapter Three: The Hogwarts Express**

Platform nine and three quarters was already bustling with students and their anxious, stressed families when Harry appeared through the barrier at King's Cross station.

Mothers were fussing over their children, giving last minute reminders to send an owl the next morning and to have a safe journey. There were also the weary 'behave this year boys. Please,' from mothers and fathers of well-known troublemakers, like the Weasley Twins. Harry spotted the crowd of redheads that could only be the Weasley family out in force and grinned. One of the twins saw him looking and winked while the other was busy appeasing their mother who was still mid-tirade.

The twins were on the Quidditch team with him at Hogwarts and their talent for mischief was legendary. They were almost on par with The Marauders. Almost. At the very least Gryffindor Common Room was never dull if the twins were knocking around.

'Oi, Potter shift!' Neville called from behind him.

Harry grinned. 'Why so hurried Nev? Train isn't going anywhere.'

Neville glowered at him with tired eyes until Harry moved to the side with a snigger.

Remus trailed through shortly after followed by Hermione and her parents. Dan and Emma Granger were staring around the platform in astonishment while Dan shot random questions at Remus every few minutes.

Remus idly explained the magic behind the platform for the nth time while Hermione shook her head fondly at her parents' child-like antics.

'You'd think they hadn't seen the platform before,' she muttered to the boys. 'Dad nearly bounced off the walls when I explained the Quidditch World Cup stadium.'

Harry's grin dimmed slightly at the mention of the World Cup, something that didn't go unnoticed by Neville. 'Yeah well, what can you expect? I bet some of the more cut off pure-bloods would go bananas if you showed them a computer. Those things still confuse me.'

Neville nodded his agreement. 'Give me a book any day of the week.'

Hermione beamed at him making the boy blush lightly.

'Suck up,' Harry muttered.

Neville swore at him covertly as Hermione turned to her mother to talk about something Harry didn't hear.

'Shut it.' Neville glanced back at Hermione. 'You alright?'

'What dyou mean am I alright? I'm fine.' Harry stared out into the crowd looking for more familiar faces. He nodded as a sixth year he vaguely recognised waved at him. 'Honestly Nev, keep asking me how I am and I'll start calling you my wife.'

'My name's not Daphne Harry, don't get us confused it could lead to awkward mix ups. Remember I'm the one without tits and long blonde hair,' Neville shot back eliciting a scowl from his best friend. 'You know I'm right.'

'Get to your point Nev,' Harry said shortly. 'At least let me get on the train before you start that crap again.'

Neville smiled briefly. 'Fine, fine. You were talking in your sleep again last night. Another Voldemort dream?'

Harry scowled again but nodded all the same. 'Same one I think, only without the old Muggle.' Harry shook his head. 'I dunno Nev, it felt so damn real.'

Neville frowned and looked back over at Hermione. 'Yeah I know mate but it's just a dream. Try to forget it. We'll be at Hogwarts soon and then Hermione will be after us to start planning our homework schedules.'

Harry and Neville laughed and walked in companionable silence for a while. The crowd was beginning to get difficult to weave through as younger students kept running in front of them to reach their friends. A few of the youngest ones stopped, mid-run as well, to stare at Harry.

By the fifth child, who almost doubled over in fright when he realised who he'd bumped in to, Harry was approaching the end of his tether. He was about to lay into the boy when he felt Remus' hand on his shoulder.

The boy scampered away muttering apologies over and over as Harry turned towards a frowning Remus.

'Breathe Harry,' Remus said. 'They're just kids.'

'Yeah, yeah.' He shrugged Remus' hand off. 'Not their fault.'

Remus frowned and shook his head. 'Harry.'

'Remus.' Harry raised an eyebrow at him. 'Is now really the time? Besides shouldn't you be telling us this big secret about what's happening at Hogwarts?' Harry smiled impishly.

'Big secret?' Dan Granger snapped to attention and peered at Remus suspiciously. 'What's going on at Hogwarts Remus? We weren't told anything was happening.'

Remus glared at Harry, who was still smiling, before turning to the impatient looking dentist. 'It's an event that the Headmaster and the Ministry have been putting together for international relations Dan, that's all.'

Hermione's eyes widened. 'That sounds fascinating! Why weren't we told last year Remus? Surely if it's at the school we could have started learning foreign languages over the holidays to better communicate with the other students.'

Emma smiled ruefully at her daughter's ramblings about foolishness and smirked at the two exasperated boys trying to calm Hermione down.

Dan wasn't dissuaded. 'Which countries? Why at the school? Shouldn't we be at least told about this sort of thing? Or is this another Mulgel thing?'

Remus winced and glared at Harry again. 'No! No Dan, I promise. It's more just that the Headmaster wasn't sure it was going ahead until recently. What with the fiasco at the World Cup.'

Dan's expression darkened. 'Yeah, Hermione told us about that. I think I'll write a letter to Headmaster Dumbledore about this. You've obviously known a lot about this, I think I should know too.'

'Dan,' Emma said. She grabbed his hand and took it in hers. 'Can we not do this now?'

'Yeah Dad, please not now,' Hermione said.

Dan looked from his daughter to his wife and sighed. 'Fine but I'm still writing that letter.'

'Sure, darling.' Emma patted his arm. 'But let's save the dramatics for later shall we?'

Remus sighed with relief as Dan's questions went back to less complicated matters and the conversation became light again but Harry knew he'd get it in the neck for that one. A revenge prank was in the making somewhere and Harry was very glad he was going to be in Hogwarts that night.

* * *

The three teens found a compartment easily enough and stowed their trunks in the space above their seats.

'You know, I still think it was a bit harsh of Remus to not shrink our trunks for us when we were getting on the train.' Harry grunted as he hefted his trunk up. 'This thing is freaking heavy.'

Neville frowned as he reached to put Hermione's trunk up as well. 'Well maybe he would have if you hadn't been a twat and tried to trick the big surprise out of him by sicking Hermione's dad on him.'

Hermione swatted Neville on the arm as he sat down next to her. 'Dad didn't sic Remus, and given who Remus is that's in rather poor taste Neville.' Hermione smiled despite herself.

'Yeah Nev.' Harry smirked. 'Don't be so insensitive. Ow! Hermione!'

Hermione looked unrepentant as she put her wand away. 'It was just a little stinging hex Harry don't be such a baby. You deserve it for trying to get your answers through Dad.'

Neville chuckled. 'Yeah Harry. Patience is a virtue you know.'

'Oh shut up, we got some answers at least.' Harry stared out of the window and smiled absently at the rushing city going by.

Harry always enjoyed the train journey to Hogwarts, it was the one type of travel wizards used he could enjoy other than brooms. A bit of peace and quiet while he saw England roll past.

'Yeah, you got that it involved other countries and that we may have to brush up on our French after Remus finally snapped enough to want you to shut up,' Neville said. He grinned wickedly at Harry. 'You wouldn't be pulling this crap if your wife was here.'

Harry turned away from the window with a scowl. 'She's not my wife. Besides we had a deal Nev. When we're not at Hogwarts I don't make fun of your obsession with plants and you don't call Daphne my wife. I put up with it most of the year give me some peace until we at least reach Scotland.'

Neville rolled his eyes as he slumped into the spot next to Hermione. He leaned conspiratorially towards Hermione. 'Dyou think he's all grouchy cus he's not seen Daphne since his birthday?'

Hermione smiled at her now livid friend and shook her head. 'I'm not getting involved in this Neville. Can we not have just one nice train journey where you two don't spend the entire time trying to get a rise out of each other?'

Harry and Neville mock-pouted but Harry soon brightened. 'You're right Hermione we should have a nice journey. I can make fun of Nev and his plant obsession later.'

Neville made a show of being insulted and crossed his arms across his chest and turned away from both of them but his smile ruined the effect. 'Fine, fine.'

Hermione chuckled to herself and stared out of the window. 'Well it's more that when Tracey and Daphne get here Tracey's going to spend the entire time teasing both you and Daphne. It's just more efficient if Neville waits until then.'

Neville crowed with laughter while Harry frowned at the innocently smiling Hermione.

'Traitor. That's what you are Hermione,' Harry huffed as he stared back out of the window. 'Supposed to be the peace-keeper, not teaming up against me with plant boy and the lesbian. Honestly, you're all against me.'

The compartment door opened and hit the frame with a small clink.

'Aww I missed you too Potter,' a silky sweet voice said. 'But you know the missus wouldn't appreciate you insulting her best friend. You'll be sleeping on the sofa for that.'

Hermione and Neville chuckled as Harry sighed dramatically into his hands.

'Hello Tracey,' Harry said through his hands. 'Nice holiday?'

Tracey Davis bounced into the compartment and, much to Neville's amusement, planted herself next to Harry. She immediately wrapped her arms around his shoulders and hugged him tightly.

Harry grimaced as she let him go and turned to hug Hermione and Neville in turn.

'So what's the score so far Nev?' Tracey asked. 'Or is that the first one of the day?'

'Three one so far Tracey, you're behind.' Neville easily ducked the lazy smack from Harry.

'Already? Damn Neville you're on fire! We're not even out of London yet.'

Harry glared at the grinning Tracey. 'He got me once on the platform, you're slipping Tracey.'

Tracey didn't even blink. 'I spent the time with Mrs Potter, I was too busy to get you.' She kicked her trunk in his direction. 'Now be a gentleman for once and put my trunk on the rails.'

Harry groaned while Hermione held up two fingers on one hand and three on the other while she mouthed 'sorry' at the bespectacled teen.

'Where is Daphne by the way?' Hermione piped in as Harry ducked around the three teens with Tracey's trunk, mumbling the entire way.

'She's with Tori, the poor dear is still a little shy.' Tracey glanced in Harry's direction. 'Or at least that's her excuse. I think she's just making Potter sweat.'

A loud bang came from the corridor and Harry growled as the trunk landed on his foot.

'Son of a bitch! What do you put in your trunk woman?' Harry's voice came from the corridor.

'Sex toys, now man up and lift my trunk.' Tracey shot back with a savage gleam in her eye.

'Bossy dyke,' Harry muttered. There was a grinding noise as Harry heaved up the trunk. Harry swung his head back into view, his face was slightly red and he'd grit his teeth together.

Only to be greeted by a smirking Tracey who had an eyebrow arched at where Harry now stood and his best friend trying to sink his way through the wall to get away from the third occupant of the compartment.

Harry slowly turned to face Hermione with the smoothest expression he could muster. His hand gently slid to his back pocket in case Hermione decided to follow up with her stinging hex.

'What did you just say?' Hermione glared at him so hard Harry could have sworn she was trying to melt his brain.

'I believe I said bossy dyke.' Harry said as she slowly edged out of the compartment.

'Harry James Potter!' Hermione screeched. 'You apologise this instant!'

Harry glanced at Neville, who was turning white, then at Tracey who's smirk had turned into the biggest grin Harry had ever seen away from Sirius.

'Yeah Harry,' Tracey practically purred. 'Apologise.'

'Yeah … no.' Harry shook his head. 'And put the evil look away Hermione. It takes away from how pretty you look normally.'

Harry ducked the quick hex a flushed Hermione snapped off at him.

'Temper, temper 'Mione.' Harry grinned as he span out of the doorway and into the passageway. 'Now I'm going to the gents to make sure my foot isn't broken.' His disembodied voice carried from round the corner. 'Anyone want anything if I meet the cart lady?'

'Nah mate, Sirius stocked us up remember?' Neville pitched in, wincing at the glare Hermione shot at him. 'Just go.'

Harry didn't reply but his footsteps could be heard echoing down the corridor.

Neville chuckled weakly when Hermione turned on him with an expectant look. 'At least his training with Mad Eye is working out. Those dodges were smoother than last year.'

Hermione, still red-faced, looked ready to hex Neville who only smiled sheepishly at his angry friend.

'So is that what he's been doing with his summer? Getting training from Mad Eye Moody?' Tracey butted in. 'How come we didn't know that?'

'We?' Neville asked. 'You mean you and Daphne? Or have you progressed to the royal we?'

Tracey pouted and stuck her tongue out at the blond boy. 'Just spill.'

'He's been training ever since first year, you know, the whole thing with Quirrell?' Neville whispered, his eyes darting to the open door. 'Hermione?'

Hermione nodded and shut the door after checking no-one was outside. She then cast silencing charms all over it. She smiled primly at Tracey's impressed, if not confused, look.

'That was awesome Hermione but isn't that a bit over the top? I mean you know the rumours, Harry getting training wouldn't shock anyone. I know most of the people from third year and below think Harry's been trained for the Aurors already.' Tracey scoffed at the hilarity of it. Harry was good but the Hogwarts Rumour Mill was famed for its capacity to blow things out of proportion. Second year was the worst, Harry the next dark lord, her perfectly formed arse.

Hermione shrugged as Neville grimaced. 'Yeah I know, but you know Harry. Secretive to a fault. Only reason we know is because I live with him for most of the summer.'

'And Hermione knows what you know?' Tracey smirked. 'Whipped much?'

Hermione's face went bright crimson as she pulled a flask from her bag and handed it to Neville, who was currently gagging.

'Thanks Mione.' Neville smiled gratefully and turned back to Tracey. 'She'd have found out anyway.'

Tracey gave a non-committal shrug and reclined back in her seat. 'Fine, fine. So that's why we don't know? He's being secretive?'

Neville nodded. 'Yup.'

'That's stupid.'

'Yup but you tell _him_ that.'

Tracey grimaced and shook her head. Harry was known for his temper for a reason and he could be so defensive. 'Still, you'd think he'd tell Daphne at least.'

It was Hermione's turn to frown and shake her head. 'I don't think so. You know how far he's gone to separate her from his … adventures … when he could. He went nuts about her trying to help with the Chamber of Secrets remember? And how long do you think it would take Daphne to barge her way into the training when she found out? Harry'd have a stroke.'

Tracey snickered. 'Wouldn't that be ideal though? The two lovebirds would finally be doing something that gets them sweaty with just the two of them. Cus I know Neville's not involved if Daphne isn't.'

'Oh I was offered training.' Neville smirked and tapped his fingers against the glass window. 'But I have better things to do with my free time than get sweaty dodging a psychopathic ex-Auror's barely legal hexes five days a week.'

'True. Bet it's done wonders for his body though.' Tracey wiggled her eyebrows. 'That and with Quidditch, boy must be developing nicely.'

'Really now Tracey? I thought you preferred the fairer sex?' Neville teased. 'Should I warn Daphne you're after her man?'

'Pfft,' Tracey huffed. 'I may prefer women Neville but even I know when a man looks good. Bet you Daphne noticed.'

Hermione gave Tracey a rare smirk. 'Hard not to notice when he walks around his house shirtless.'

Neville quirked an eyebrow with a smirk of his own.

Hermione blushed. 'Hush, it's not my fault. Tonks has caught him just in his boxers once or twice. The boy has no shame.'

Tracey chuckled and patted Hermione on the head. 'Don't worry Hermione we won't tell Harry you perv back.'

Hermione swatted at her hand playfully. 'You'd have to tell him you and Daphne perv on him as well and we know you two won't own up to that.'

Neville snorted. 'I think you'd give him a heart attack if you did.'

Tracey shrugged again and scowled. 'Meh, maybe I should tell him Daphne pervs on him, maybe he'd pay attention then. He needs a good shock, he missed how gorgeous Daphne looked at your joint birthday party and even Hermione mentioned how hot Daph looked!'

Neville's eyebrows skyrocketed and he fought back a laugh with little success.

'Tracey!' Hermione hissed. 'You promised not to say anything I was just a bit drunk.'

'So what? It was true, the girl looked stunning and Potter didn't even notice! I know he's not gay by all the stuff he said about Chang last year.' Tracey gave Neville an accusatory glare. 'You two must have talked about it. Did he say anything?'

Neville frowned. He was a bit surprised with Harry himself. Daphne had looked lovely but Harry didn't seem to notice. 'He didn't say a word Tracey. I wouldn't think Daphne would mind though, other than apparently perving on him a bit, she's not interested in Harry is she?'

Hermione sighed and joined Tracey in her exasperated stare at Neville.

'Boys. So oblivious.' Tracey shook her head.

Neville looked between the two frowning girls bewilderedly. 'What?'

'Let's shelf that conversation, we've had that chat far too many times.' Tracey shook her hands as if to dismiss the topic. 'It still wouldn't have hurt if Harry had just said something. She wasn't overly bothered no, but the dick could have told her she looked nice, she'd dressed up for the occasion after all.'

Neville looked perplexed. 'But why? It was just a birthday party. You know Harry's never put much stock in them anyway.'

It was Hermione's turn to groan at Neville. 'That's not the point Neville.'

Neville ran a hand through his hair and frowned. 'Now I'm really confused. What was the point?'

'The point, my blind male friend, was that Daphne had dressed up and it would have been nice of Harry to acknowledge that. You did, as did every other person there. Only Harry didn't.'

Hermione nodded sagely as Tracey finished explaining and the two shared a smile.

Neville scrunched up his face as he tried to figure out what the girls were talking about but he came out empty. 'I still don't understand why she'd care if she wasn't interested in Harry though.'

Hermione and Tracey both groaned and shook their heads at the boy.

'I give up Hermione, let's change the subject before we break his brain,' Tracey said.

Neville looked affronted but a stern look from Hermione stopped his response.

'Okay,' Hermione started. 'How was Spain?'

Tracey face broke out into a goofy grin. 'Loved it, there was this nude beach near the hotel …

* * *

Harry groaned as he pressed his head against the window opposite the boys' toilets. The cool glass eased the headache that had been forming since they'd left Grimmauld Place that morning. It wasn't the first time Harry wished the Potter family home was in London.

He didn't like Sirius' house. Kreacher, the Black family house-elf, creeped the shit out of him and he couldn't shake the feeling that the little bastard would sprinkle poison in his tea at the first opportunity.

It hadn't helped that the second Voldemort dream that summer had taken place last night. Voldemort and Wormtail had been in the same mansion as last time. They hadn't killed anyone this time though. Something Harry was more than relieved about.

They were talking about him though but as far as he could tell, it wasn't about killing him. They wanted him for something and whatever they were planning it had something to do with the Triwizard Tournament, whatever the hell that was.

'Eurgh,' Harry shook himself and lifted his head back from the glass. He'd just have to keep the dreams out of his mind. It was like his dad had said when he was a kid. Dreams couldn't hurt him.

He ran a hand through his messy hair and did just that. It was silly to obsess on a dream, it wasn't real. He started to walk back down the train. Maybe stretching his legs a bit more would help.

'Stupid Potter, stop being such a baby – oof. Sorry mate.'

Harry was cut off from his mini-tirade when he bumped into another boy. A well-manicured boy with too-bright blond hair.

'You should learn to look where you're going Harry,' Draco Malfoy said with a mock-sneer. 'You could injure yourself.'

Harry sneered back. 'Yeah, yeah Draco, it's not my fault. The shine off your hair blinded me. There is such a thing as too much gel you know.'

He started to walk on, he really didn't feel like playing politics with Draco Malfoy right now. The little sycophant didn't catch on though and proceeded to follow him with a wounded expression.

'Ouch,' he simpered. 'Words hurt too you know. Just because your hair is an untameable mess.'

Harry rolled his eyes but forced a smile into his voice. 'Touché Draco. How was your summer?' _Lick any important boots with your father?_

'Oh it was alright, we spent most of it visiting family overseas. Father has a cousin who's on the board of governors at Durmstrang. They were considering sending me there instead of Hogwarts, interesting place. Shame mother didn't want me to go really.'

Harry stopped himself from agreeing it was a shame. Boot-lickers the Malfoys might be, but they were still one of the wealthiest pureblood families in the country and that gave them a lot of sway in politics. Harry was on strictest orders from James, Remus _and _Sirius to at least pretend to be civil with any Malfoy.

Instead Harry asked, 'Oh good, how is your father? I've not seen him properly since the end of second year.'

Civil Harry could do. But he wasn't going to resist the urge to twist the knife when it presented itself so beautifully. Especially when he knew Draco wouldn't do anything about it.

Harry watched Draco's jaw spasm with hidden glee. Draco hadn't taken the humiliation of Lucius well if Daphne and Tracey were telling it right. But years of pureblood custom and teachings made the young Malfoy restrain his reaction.

'He's fine, busy you know. How was your summer?' Draco recovered smoothly. Harry could give him credit for his diplomacy skills. Draco was certainly a good little pureblood and he wasn't going to let Harry rumble him.

Fine with Harry, it just meant he'd have to try harder.

'Not bad, went to the World Cup. It was a good game regardless of the riot afterwards.' The Dark Mark flashed across his mind and he repressed a shudder. 'It was horrible. Did you manage to see it?' Harry asked. _Were just your parents in their old uniforms or did you play dress up too?_

Draco's jaw spasmed again but the smile stayed in place. 'We saw the game yes, thankfully we were in the box with the Minister when the riots broke out and we got away safely.'

'Glad to hear it.' Harry smiled politely. 'I'm surprised Vince and Greg aren't with you though. Did they get lost?'

Draco chuckled. 'No, they're in the compartment with the others. I just had to get away from them for a while. Loyal friends they most certainly are, but not the most stimulating conversation.'

Harry smirked and nodded. 'Wasn't Pansy around? I'm sure she'd be willing to … stimulate … you.' Harry nudged Draco with an over the top wink.

Draco's smirked back. 'I assure you Harry, she has her moments. But still she's couldn't stimulate me, as you put it, with Vince and Greg there as well.'

'I bet,' Harry said as he came to a stop and stared out of the window. The city was starting to give way to the countryside.

Draco missed the scorn in Harry's tone and checked his watch. He groaned. 'Guess I'd best head back. They're probably still talking about the Triwizard Tournament and they'll have questions,' he said with an arrogant sniff. 'Oh the unknowing masses, what would they do without us?'

Harry stared at Draco in shock as the blond shot him a knowing look and walked away from him.

'The Triwizard Tournament?' Harry muttered. 'Oh that can't be good.'


	4. How's That For An Entrance?

**Chapter Four: How's That For An Entrance?**

Harry scowled up at the rain as he, Neville, Hermione and Tracey rushed out towards the nearest bit of cover they could find.

'I hate the rain,' Harry groused. 'It's a pain in the arse.'

'You're in Scotland Harry,' Neville said. 'What did you expect? Sand and sunshine?'

'Bite me Nev.'

'You're such a woman.' Tracey chuckled and shook her head, droplets of rain flying everywhere. 'Stop bitching Potter, you'll be in the castle soon and then you can dry your hair.'

Harry grunted but shut up as the four students made their way over to the long line of carriages, fighting their way through the building gale.

Hermione pointed to one that was empty and they hastened over to it.

Tracey wobbled as a strong blast of wind buffeted her side and she tripped backwards in squelching mud as they reached the black carriage, her arms flailing like two windmills, nearly smacking Harry in the face.

Harry grabbed both her arms by the wrist and pulled her against him, stopping what would definitely have been an embarrassing fall.

'Phew, thanks Harry.' She smiled as she regained her balance wrapped her hands around Harry's arm for support.

Harry shrugged and guided her up the path. When they reached the carriages he felt Tracey shudder against him.

He gave her a weird look. 'You alright?'

'It's always creeped me out that nothing pulls these things,' Tracey muttered.

'I'm sure Hermione knows how they work, you could ask her if it's bothering you,' Harry offered.

Tracey smirked and nodded towards Hermione and Neville. 'I think I'll ask later, she's a bit busy right now.'

Hermione shrieked as she tripped on the soaking wet step up and knocked Neville backwards when he was forced to catch her by throwing his arms around her waist and pulling her flush against his chest. The two teens blushed and Hermione scrambled into the carriage.

Harry and Tracey grinned at each other and shook their heads.

'Think they'll finally spot that they like each other this year?' Harry asked.

Tracey winked at him. 'I hope not, I have a bet with Daphne that it won't happen until sixth year.'

Harry tutted. 'That's rather mean of you, betting on their happiness.'

'You want in?' Tracey asked, a knowing twinkle in her eyes.

'Five galleons that it happens by Christmas this year.' Harry winced as a drop of rain bypassed his glasses and smacked him in the eye.

'Why Christmas?'

'Sirius, Remus and Dad have been dropping big hints that something is happening this year,' Harry said slowly. There was something about the predatory smile stretching across Tracey's face that put Harry on edge. 'Especially about dress robes and Christmas.'

'Fair enough, five galleons it is.' Tracey nodded and a sly grin took over her face. 'Although it's really spooky.'

'What is?' Harry asked.

'You and Daphne made the exact same bet.' Tracey's grin hit Cheshire cat proportions, her eyes ablaze with joy.

Harry groaned. 'You're gonna make a wife joke aren't you?'

Tracey made a show of thinking long and hard on something but in the end only shook her head, a slight smile on her Cupid's bow lips. 'Nah, I owe you for the save, but know that I have a bet with Sirius about when you and Daphne _finally_ hook up.'

Harry wiped the back of his hand across his forehead. 'Seriously? When have you got?'

'Not telling,' Tracey said in a sing-song voice as they reached the carriage.

'Fine,' Harry said. 'What about Sirius?'

'What about Sirius?' a much dryer Hermione asked when Tracey and Harry sat down.

'Doesn't matter 'Mione,' Harry said quickly. He cast a quick drying charm over his hair and glasses and reclined back into the stiff carriage seat. 'Does it Tracey?'

Tracey smiled wide and set about drying her clothes and hair. 'Sure Potter, sure.'

Neville watched the two with a shrewd look before he nodded his head like he'd come to a conclusion and turned towards Tracey. 'You told him about your and Sirius' bet about him and Mrs Potter didn't you?' Neville thrust his thumb towards the other boy.

'Do you always have to call Daphne that?' Harry groused.

'Yes,' the other three teens replied.

'Bastards.' Harry set about drying off his clothes, shooting a dark look at his so called friends every now and then. 'What are you going to do if Dad gets married? You'll be screwed then.'

'Well not to split hairs Harry,' Hermione butted in. 'But as your dad is actually Lord Potter anybody he marries will become Lady Potter not Mrs Potter.'

Harry gaped at Hermione, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to find a comeback while his friends burst into peals of laughter.

'Hermione,' Harry said dejectedly. 'Please be quiet.'

The carriage trundled along in the storm. The only sound able to be heard being Neville and Tracey's heightened laughter for the rest of the short journey up to the castle.

* * *

Harry twirled his wand between his fingers absentmindedly, pointedly ignoring the daggers Professor McGonagall, the Head of Gryffindor House and his Transfiguration teacher, was shooting at him.

It wasn't his fault he hadn't been in the mood to tolerate Peeves' tantrum. Honestly, the poltergeist was lucky Harry had only banished the water balloons back at him. He'd been tempted to just curse the prankster ghost with the new spell Sirius had taught him over the summer.

Granted, maybe he should have waited for Peeves to move first considering that McGonagall came through the door Peeves was hovering above just at the wrong moment. Oh well.

'You're not continuing your prank war with Peeves this year are you?' Neville muttered as they made their way to Gryffindor table. He cast another drying charm on his clothes, Neville hadn't been as quick as Harry and had been pelted with Peeves' first balloon. 'It would be nice if the points you win from Quidditch matches actually lasted instead of being discounted because you lack subtlety.'

Harry waved at Tracey's hissed goodbye as she split off towards the Slytherin table on the other side of the Great Hall. 'Think about it this way Nev, if he's focussing on me most of the time he leaves everyone else alone.'

Neville sighed. 'So what was that whole mess about in the Entrance Hall, that wasn't just about you.'

Harry shrugged and looked up at the enchanted ceiling. The thunderstorm was painted across the surface like a priceless landscape. The storm may have been annoying to walk in but Harry would be lying if he'd said it wasn't impressive to look at.

Harry sat down next to the pearly semi-transparent Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost, dressed in his usual finery, only with a slightly larger ruff than usual.

'Hello Sir Nicholas,' Harry greeted just as Neville opened his mouth to reprimand his friend again. 'Nice ruff.'

Nick tilted his head, making it wobble dangerously, and smiled. 'Thank you Harry, it is one of my favourites and tonight is an auspicious event.'

'Yes, I heard,' Harry said.

'Did you?' The ghost looked between the three Gryffindors and frowned. 'Oh, the headmaster will be so upset his surprise has been ruined.'

Harry grunted and looked out across the Hall. 'He'll get over it I'm sure.'

Nick looked slightly put-out and turned to talk to the second year on his other side.

'Oh come on Harry,' Hermione implored, an earnest smile on her face. 'You'll find out what the surprise is soon I'm sure, Professor Dumbledore will probably tell us after the Sorting.'

Neville nodded and cast a look up at the ceiling and whistled. 'For those kids' sakes I hope we're not far off from the Sorting. They must have been drenched from the lake, Merlin knows the storm won't have helped.'

Harry frowned and stared out into the Hall again. 'Probably not.'

Hermione gave Neville a concerned look. The boy shrugged.

'What's up your arse Potter? You've been in a funk since you came back from the toilet back on the train,' Neville said. 'Surely the dream isn't still bothering you? Come on mate, it wasn't real.'

'Dream?' Hermione hissed. 'What dream? You didn't tell me about any dream!'

Harry glared at Neville. The other boy recoiled like he'd been struck.

'It's nothing Hermione,' Harry said simply.

'Well clearly it isn't nothing Harry.' Hermione crossed her arms over her chest and frowned. 'Was it another V-Voldemort dream?'

Harry fought the urge to roll his eyes. Why didn't anyone have the balls to just say the psycho's freaking name? Voldemort had killed his mother and tried to kill him a couple of times and Harry didn't feel the need to call him You-Know-Who or any other stupid name thank you very much. For a race of people who could control the forces of nature with a whim wizards and witches could be so cowardly.

'Look, forget it. It was just a dream,' Harry snapped. 'Besides I was in a 'funk' because of Malfoy. I bumped into him on the train and he pissed me off, that's all, alright?'

Neville sighed, 'Harry, don't yell at Hermione just cus you're in a mood.'

Harry shot another glare and got one back from an unimpressed Neville.

'It's alright Neville,' Hermione interrupted the budding argument and held Harry's forearm. 'You don't have to tell us Harry,' Hermione said, clearly hurt. 'But if you have had another dream I hope you at least told your dad.'

'I didn't get a chance,' Harry said reluctantly. 'He had to rush off.'

'Harry,' Hermione pushed. 'He'd want to know.'

Harry did roll his eyes this time. 'He has more important things to do then remind me dreams can't hurt me Hermione.'

'But …'

'Can we not do this now?' Harry asked. 'Besides the first years are here.'

Harry nodded over at the giant door that led to the Entrance Hall where Professor McGonagall was currently standing with the first years all huddled behind her in a rough likeness of a queue.

Hermione frowned but let the matter drop and turned to watch McGonagall walk out to the raised platform in front of the staff table with a stool in one hand and the Sorting Hat in the other.

Harry sighed and rested his chin on his thumbs and looked down the table at the madly waving Colin Creevey, a third year Gryffindor who had to be one of the most fanatic Harry Potter 'fans' in the whole school. He didn't like that kid.

'Saved by the hat there Harry,' Neville muttered into Harry's ear. 'You know she won't have forgotten about the dream.'

Harry scowled and moved from ignoring Colin to inspecting the rest of the table. Ron Weasley quietly moaning about his stomach to his sister caught his attention the most. Or maybe that was just because Ginny was _staring_ at him.

'She wouldn't know if _you_ could have been _subtle _Neville.'

Neville grimaced at the use of his full name. 'Touché. Sorry.'

'It's fine. Besides, I doubt she'll have my dream on her mind by the time Dumbledore finishes his welcome speech.'

'You know something I don't?' Neville asked.

Harry shook his head as the Sorting Hat's 'mouth' opened and it began its song. 'Later Nev. Listen to the song.'

'_A thousand years or more ago,_

_When I was newly sewn,_

_There lived four wizards of renown_

_Whose names are still well known:_

* * *

The Sorting, and the blissful lack of interrogation that Harry was enjoying, came to an end when Kevin Whitby was sorted into Hufflepuff. The little black haired boy looked somewhat relieved. Maybe the boy had nearly been sorted somewhere he didn't want to go? Harry couldn't be the only one the Hat was torn on where to send.

Harry heard more than saw Hermione turn back around and ready a tirade of questions for him about his latest Voldemort dream when Dumbledore stood and demanded her attention again. Harry had never been happier about Hermione's almost religious devotion to people in authority.

Dumbledore rose to his full height, which was quite tall, and smiled out at the amassed students before him with his best grandfatherly smile. 'Welcome to you all. I'll have more to say to you shortly but for now I'll just say this. Tuck in!'

Cheers went around the table, Ron's being the loudest, and the clattering of golden cutlery filled the room as the students fell upon the food that filled the previously empty golden platters along each table.

Harry forced himself to load his plate up with food. It was better he have something in his body even he didn't have an appetite. He'd be kicking himself later otherwise.

Neville however fell upon his food with reckless abandon which thankfully busied Hermione as well as she chastised him.

Nick however fixed Harry with a mournful look as the boy just picked at his food. 'You're lucky to have that food at all young man, please don't torture an old ghost by not enjoying something that is lost to me.'

Harry smiled sadly at the ghost and tried to eat with more fervour. 'What do you mean?'

Nick shrugged, his head wobbling anew. 'Peeves was causing a ruckus in the kitchen because his yearly request to attend the feast was denied, quite wisely in my opinion, by the Bloody Baron and the rest of the ghost council.'

The Bloody Baron was the Slytherin ghost, a gaunt and normally silent spectre covered in silvery bloodstains. Definitely the most intimidating of the Hogwarts ghosts and the only one who had complete control over Peeves.

'So that's why he was lobbing water balloons at people in the Entrance Hall,' Harry said. A small smile crept onto his face. 'I feel better about returning fire now. What was he up to in the kitchens? Bothering the house-elves?'

Harry ignored the scoff from Hermione when he mentioned the house-elves. Hermione still hadn't gotten over the mistreatment of the house-elf from the Quidditch World Cup. She'd had a lengthy discussion with Remus about creature rights once they'd gone back to the Potter home.

'Why yes. How did you know?' Nick pulled his ruff up a bit to cover his wound. 'And what do you mean returned fire?'

Harry's small smile blossomed into a full blown grin when Neville gave a long suffering sigh in between noticeably politer bites of his food.

'I used a banishing hex to throw his balloons back at him, he didn't seem to appreciate it.' Harry chuckled. 'Real shame that.'

Nick chortled and fixed Harry with an amused smirk. 'I'm surprised the Baron hasn't brought you into his service in dealing with the little troublemaker. You do such an able job.'

Harry smiled and speared a sausage with his fork. 'Do tell him I'd be glad to help, all he has to do is ask.'

Nearly Headless Nick smiled again and gave his head another nod. 'I think I just might,' he said.

'So that's a yes on year four of the Prank War with Peeves then?' Neville asked ruefully. 'Honestly Harry, are you serious?'

Harry grinned impishly and shook his head. 'No Sirius is back home, I'm Harry.'

Hermione and Neville groaned and turned their attention back to their food while Harry grinned his way through dinner and to desert where he helped himself to a rather nice treacle tart.

'So where do you reckon the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher is?' Neville asked once he'd finished his own desert. 'Professor Vance hasn't come back.'

'Hmm, the curse of the Defence Against the Dark Arts job strikes again it seems,' Hermione said forlornly. 'It's a shame, I liked Professor Vance.'

Harry shook his head. 'Yeah, cus she liked you, woman had no sense of humour.'

'It's not her fault you're a perv Harry,' Neville chortled. 'I'm still amazed you came out tops in DADA last year, what with the amount of time you spent staring at her arse.'

Harry smiled at the memory of the classically beautiful woman, the day Professor Vance had worn a particularly tight set of robes would be going down in a Pensieve if he ever got his hands on one. 'It is hardly my fault that our Professor had such a shapely backside Nev,' Harry said.

Hermione gave him a withering look and moved the conversation determinedly on. 'So any idea on who's taking over? I hope they're more like Vance than Quirrell or Lockhart.'

Harry and Neville shared a mirthful look.

'I know, personally I hope the next one doesn't try to kill me or wipe my memory either,' Harry joked which earned him another withering glare. 'How about you Nev?'

Neville chuckled. 'It would definitely be an improvement.'

'You know what I meant Harry,' Hermione said.

Harry nodded and sat back. He could give them the same hint that Remus had given him about the new professor. It didn't take him long to figure it out. 'I dunno, hopefully someone good though.'

Harry scanned the staff table again and found his gaze drawn to Severus Snape, the Potions Professor and the most laughable excuse for a man Harry had ever had the misfortune to come across. Only to find Snape was glaring back at him.

Harry had come to Hogwarts having heard stories about 'Snivellus' when the professor was at school with his parents and godfathers. Most of the stories had come from Sirius and they showed Snape in the worst light physically possible. However, Sirius wasn't the most reliable source of information. Not to mention it had been ages since they'd been at Hogwarts, James and Remus had grown up, surely Snape would've got past a childhood grudge too?

So Harry had been willing to come to Hogwarts with an open mind about Severus Snape and try to learn as much from him as possible.

It had taken one lesson for Harry to get the measure of Snape. The first lesson in fact. Snape had come in, billowing his robes and trying his damnedest to intimidate a roomful of prepubescent schoolchildren. He'd started his lesson with a clearly well-rehearsed and dramatic speech about the 'subtle art of potion-making'. Forcing Harry's opinion of the man lower and lower down as he went.

He'd then sprung a quick pop quiz on Harry that he'd not been prepared for. Harry thought he'd done admirably considering, when he'd checked later that day, some of the stuff the slimy git had spat at him wouldn't have been taught until fifth year! What first year would know what to use boomslang skin for?

He'd then made a crack about Harry's father and his fame and Harry had lost it, he ripped into the petty man with everything Sirius had ever told him about 'Snivellus'. Harry had even spread the name around the school within a week.

Harry had lost fifty points and formed a deep personal loathing for Severus Snape in his first week of Hogwarts and he had no doubt it would last until his dying day.

Harry returned Snape's glare for a good minute before he was pulled out of the impromptu staring contest by Neville nudging him.

'So what do you reckon Harry? Think Moody would consider being a professor for a year? He's mates with Dumbledore right?'

Harry shook his head and looked through Neville for a moment. He almost told Neville that he'd got it spot on and that Harry was expecting Moody any moment now. The ex-Auror had told Harry that'd he be teaching him Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts this year and that to keep their private lessons secret. Moody would have to treat Harry like any other student or they'd be rumbled and Dumbledore, or worse Fudge, would stick their noses into their business.

Harry hadn't even told Neville about Moody coming to Hogwarts. He trusted Neville but the look of genuine surprise would be too good. He'd also nearly told Daphne, but that would have opened a whole other can of worms. She still didn't know about his private lessons after all.

He shuddered at how Daphne would react to him not having told her about the three years of training with Moody. It wouldn't be pretty and Harry had enough people sending hexes his way as it was.

'Doubt it Nev, he isn't that crazy about kids,' Harry said dismissively. 'I honestly get the impression the only reason he can put up with me is because he gets to fire spells at me.'

The three of them shared a grin at the image and were about to carry on when Dumbledore stood up for the second time that evening.

'So!' said Dumbledore, smiling around at them all. 'Now that we are all fed and watered, I must once more ask for your attention, while I give out a few notices.'

'Mr Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to tell you that the list of objects forbidden

inside the castle has this year been extended to include Screaming Yo-yos, Fanged Frisbees, and Ever-Bashing Boomerangs. The full list comprises some four hundred and thirty-seven items, I believe, and can be viewed in Mr Filch's office, if anybody would like to check it.'

The corners of Dumbledore's mouth twitched. He continued, "As ever, I would like to remind you all that the forest on the grounds is out-of-bounds to students, as is the village of Hogsmeade to all below third year.'

Harry could have sworn he saw Dumbledore's eyes dart towards himself and the Twins when he mentioned the forest.

'It is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year.'

'Why in Merlin's name?' Harry felt a feeling of dread sinking into his stomach.

He looked around at Fred and George and the other members of the Quidditch team. They were mouthing soundlessly at Dumbledore, apparently too appalled to speak.

Dumbledore went on, 'This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers' time and energy - but I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts …'

But at that moment, there was a deafening rumble of thunder and the doors of the Great Hall banged open.

'Not now damn it,' Harry muttered.

Neville turned to look at him curiously. 'Harry? What's up?'

Harry nodded towards the man who was now stood in the door, dripping water on the floor. He ripped off the hood on his cloak and a grizzled mane of dark grey hair fell about his head.

The figure then started to limp his way towards the staff table, a dull clunk echoed around the Hall every other step. He reached the end of the table and made his way to Dumbledore, a flash of lightning illuminated the hall and Hermione gasped while Neville just stared at Harry expectantly.

'Damn show off,' Harry muttered.

The man had a face that looked like a blind man had gone at a hunk of wood with a rusty chisel. A chunk of his nose was missing and his mouth was more like a diagonal slash than anything else.

His eyes were the most shocking part of his face though. Even after years of seeing them Harry felt unnerved. The lightning wasn't helping either. One was small, dark and piercing. The other was as large as a coin and a shocking electric blue. It darted around the room seemingly without command. Harry could have sworn it fixed on him once or twice. As if he was gauging Harry's reaction to his surprise entrance.

Harry hadn't even reached for his wand. He was going to get it the first chance the man got him alone. He'd lectured him just the other day about his lack of vigilance.

The man's eye rolled into the back of his head so all that could be seen was whiteness. The eye snapped back to meet the real eye as the man reached Dumbledore.

Dumbledore shook the proffered, and heavily scarred, hand and the two had a brief, hushed conversation. It ended when the man shook his head and sat down in the empty seat to Dumbledore's right.

The stranger sat down, shook his mane of dark grey hair out of his face, pulled a plate of sausages toward him, raised it to what was left of his nose, and sniffed it. He then took a small knife out of his pocket, speared a sausage on the end of it, and began to eat. His normal eye was fixed upon the sausages, but the blue eye was still darting restlessly around in its socket, taking in the Hall and the students.

'May I introduce our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher?' said Dumbledore brightly into the silence.

'Harry is that really …' Hermione hissed.

'Professor Moody!'


	5. Marauder Mirrors

**Chapter Five: Marauder Mirrors**

Harry scratched behind his ear and pointedly didn't meet Neville's rather angry look as the sporadic applause scattered around the Hall. The blond boy never had taken well to Harry keeping secrets from him.

'Harry what the hell is going on?' Neville hissed at him when it became obvious Harry wasn't going to meet his gaze. 'Why didn't you tell us about Moody teaching us?'

'I didn't know?' Harry tried.

'That's a terrible lie Harry,' Hermione muttered whilst watching Dumbledore give his speech. 'But we'll discuss this later, you're going to want to listen to what Professor Dumbledore is saying.'

Harry could practically feel Hermione's frown, he didn't need to see it. He was definitely in the shit now. He really didn't get their problem. Daphne would have appreciated the humour. He shrugged, he'd deal with them later.

Dumbledore smiled benignly, as the clapping petered out, and readdressed the students. 'As I was saying,' he said to the sea of students before him, who were still gazing transfixed at Moody, 'we are to have the honour of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event that has not been held for over a century. It is my very great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year.'

'You're JOKING!' Fred Weasley's voice interrupted the headmaster.

The tension that had filled the Hall ever since Moody's arrival suddenly broke. Nearly everyone laughed, and Dumbledore chuckled appreciatively.

Harry didn't. His eyebrows furrowed deeply. He had really hoped Malfoy had been bullshitting. He didn't need this damn tournament this year. Something would go wrong, he just freaking knew it. And knowing his luck he'd be smack dab at the centre of it. He looked at Neville who had his own matching troubled look. Evidently Neville's brain had gone straight down the same path as his.

'I am not joking, Mr Weasley,' Dumbledore said. 'Though now that you mention it, I did hear an excellent one over the summer about a troll, a hag and a leprechaun who all go into a bar...'

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat loudly.

'Er - but maybe this is not the time... no...' said Dumbledore. 'Where was I? Ah yes, the Triwizard Tournament...well, some of you will not know what this tournament involves, so I hope those who do know will forgive me for giving a short explanation, and allow their attention to wander freely until the end. There will be something for you knowledgeable folk as well.'

'The Triwizard Tournament was first established some seven hundred years ago as a friendly competition between the three largest European schools of wizardry: Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. A champion was selected to represent each school and the three champions competed in three magical tasks. The schools took it in turns to host the tournament once every five years, and it was generally agreed to be a most excellent way of establishing ties between young witches and wizards of different nationalities - until, that is, the death toll mounted so high that the tournament was discontinued.'

'Death toll?' Hermione whispered, looking alarmed. But her anxiety did not seem to be shared by the majority of students in the Hall; many of them were whispering excitedly to one another, and Harry himself was still waiting for someone to wake him up from what had to be his stupidest dream ever to comfort her.

'There have been several attempts over the centuries to reinstate the tournament,' Dumbledore continued. 'None of which has been very successful. However, our own departments of International Magical Cooperation and Magical Games and Sports have decided the time is ripe for another attempt. We have worked hard over the summer to ensure that this time, no champion will find himself or herself in mortal danger.'

Neville and Harry scoffed in time causing Hermione to stare at them curiously. Harry had to stop himself from smiling. It would seem years of the Marauder's influence hadn't just affected Harry but his best mate as well. He quickly understood why his dad was so pissed off this summer. Harry had just put it down to a bad case or something. Not this fucked up tournament.

'The heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving with their short-listed contenders in October and the selection of the three champions will take place at Halloween. An impartial judge will decide which students are most worthy to compete for the Triwizard Cup, the glory of their school and a thousand Galleons personal prize money.'

'I'm going for it!' Fred Weasley said to his twin who nodded exuberantly. Their eyes shining like the gold they'd just been tempted with.

'Eager though I know all of you will be to bring the Triwizard Cup to Hogwarts,' he said. 'The heads of the participating schools, along with the Ministry of Magic, have agreed to impose an age restriction on contenders this year. Only students who are of age - that is to say, seventeen years or older - will be allowed to put forward their names for consideration. This -" Dumbledore raised his voice slightly, for several people had made noises of outrage at these words, and the Weasley twins were suddenly looking furious – 'is a measure we feel is necessary, given that the tournament tasks will still be difficult and dangerous, whatever precautions we take, it is highly unlikely that students below sixth and seventh year will be able to cope with them. I will personally be ensuring that no underage student hoodwinks our impartial judge into making them Hogwarts champion.' His light blue eyes twinkled as they flickered over Fred's and George's mutinous faces. 'I therefore beg you not to waste your time submitting yourself if you are under seventeen. There will however be something to sweeten the deal for those of you a shade too young to enter the tournament.'

Fred and George, and nearly all of the students who hadn't descended into twittering whispers already, snapped back to attention.

'The tournament won't be limited to our three champions. There will also be debates for our most academic students,' Dumbledore said.

Ravenclaw table burst into excited mutterings and Harry shook his head at their predictable arrogance. They weren't the only clever students in the school no matter what they thought. There were more than a few Ravenclaws that Daphne and Hermione could run metaphorical circles around on their bad days let alone what they could do on their best days.

'There will also be a duelling tournament for those inclined to battle rather than books.' Harry raised an eyebrow. Now that could actually be fun. He wouldn't enter, Merlin knew he didn't need to actually _give_ Fate a reason to screw him over but still it'd be fun to watch.

'And an Inter-School Quidditch tournament on top of that. There will be try outs for the Hogwarts team and those interested should talk to Madam Hooch as soon as possible as she'll want to start training our team as quick as she can. The school champions will be unable to take part in the side events of course as he or she will be far too busy with the major events.'

Harry nodded as the rest of the Gryffindor Team shot him winning grins. Except for Angelina, it would appear she was after 'glory' or nothing. He considered telling her that glory and fame was overrated. He severely doubted she'd listen though.

'The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving in October and remaining with us for the greater part of this year. I know that you will all extend every courtesy to our foreign guests while they are with us and will give your whole-hearted support to the Hogwarts champion when he or she is selected. And now, it is late and I know how important it is to you all to be alert and rested as you enter your lessons tomorrow morning. Bedtime! Chop chop!'

Dumbledore sat down again and turned to talk to Moody. There was a great scraping and banging as all the students got to their feet and swarmed toward the double doors into the Entrance Hall.

Harry waited for the majority of the crowd to head to their respective dorms before he stood. He never understood the mad rush at the end of the first night. He'd understand if it was just the first years and the prefects but everyone else? Why not meander a little?

'So Harry do you want the interrogation tonight or do you need to talk to your dad about the tournament?' Neville asked from his seat next to him, his anger mercifully stripped away from him by the revelation of the Triwizard Tournament.

Harry sighed, he wasn't sure if talking with his father was what he wanted to do about this. For the life of him all he wanted to do was blast something to smithereens. Something big and expensive preferably. This tournament just felt wrong. Why had he dreamt about it being at Hogwarts before he'd known it was even happening? What did this mean about his Voldemort dream?

'Later, I need to have words with my illustrious family on their latest prank. Sirius has probably been pissing himself about this since we left this morning.'

They stood and made their way after towards the Gryffindor Tower with the rest of the stragglers.

Hermione frowned and for once Harry was sure it wasn't aimed at him. 'Yes, I think you're right. They should have told us beforehand. Dad's going to be so annoyed when I tell him about this.' She paused and smiled a little. 'Although the debates sound fun, I wonder how old you have to be to take part?'

Harry chuckled and threw an arm around Hermione's shoulders, making her blush a little as he pulled her against his side. 'I'm sure McGonagall will make an exception for the smartest witch of our generation 'Mione.'

Hermione smiled ruefully. 'You won't stop the coming interrogation with compliments Harry,' she winked and nudged him. 'But thank you anyway.'

The three teenagers laughed as they mounted the famous Hogwarts shifting staircases.

'Speaking of entering,' Neville said, turning his gaze away from the side of the stairs. 'Which are you thinking of having a go at Harry? Duelling or Quidditch?'

The moving portraits stopped their chattering and stared at Harry as they passed. It would seem the entire castle was under the impression Harry was stupid after all, not just his friends.

'Neither Nev, I'll just be a spectator this year.' Harry made sure to enunciate so the portraits could hear him as well. Best to get the word out. Harry Potter actually uses his brain.

'Neither? Not even with your special lessons?'

Harry rolled his eyes. 'Nev, subtlety remember? The walls have ears.' A particularly sneaky looking wizard wearing discoloured yellow robes huffed at Harry as he passed the wizard's portrait. 'But no, I'm not in any mood to tempt fate this year. My excitement will stick to the Yule Ball and that's it.'

Neville groaned and palmed his face. 'Why am I not surprised you're focused on that? Can't you wait until we're at least fifteen until you actively start hitting on girls?'

'No,' Harry said simply.

'Fine, who are you going to take then? Daphne?'

Harry shrugged, 'Doubt it. Despite what you guys think I imagine she'll have sights set elsewhere.'

Hermione, who'd been looking between the two of them much like a spectator does two players at a tennis match, finally interrupted when they reached the corridor that led to the Fat Lady's portrait. 'What's the Yule Ball?'

Harry grinned at her but suddenly stopped as the scent of lavender danced up his nose and when he felt something brush against his backside he reached for his jeans back pocket under his robes. He pulled out a folded piece of parchment and tucked it up his sleeve with a smile.

'Consider it some extra homework Hermione,' he said. 'Go check out the Triwizard Tournament in your favourite book.'

Hermione closed her eyes in a physical effort not to rise to Harry's bait which took her until they got to the Fat Lady. 'Balderdash.'

Neville laughed but turned it into a cough when the Fat Lady glared at him. 'Sorry, it was funny.'

The portrait swung open and Neville scampered into the Common Room and disappeared.

Hermione stopped Harry from entering with a look. 'Don't think I didn't see the note Harry. Say hello to Daphne for us tomorrow.'

Harry sighed but pulled the note back out and smiled as he read it.

_Tree, tomorrow after classes._

_Mrs P_

_Xx_

Harry took out his wand and poked it at the paper.

He dropped it to the floor as a small hole of flame spread across the paper until it was gone.

* * *

Harry whispered a summoning charm on his watch and smirked as he caught it in his outstretched hand. An eerie green glow lit up his frowning face when the light dimmed a little when it touched his hand and the digital screen was blank.

He dropped it onto his dark red sheets with a scowl.

So much for trying to get past the whole 'Muggle technology doesn't work at Hogwarts' crap with a glow in the dark watch. He was so sure that'd work damn it.

He summoned the pocket watch from his bedside table with an absent thought and it zoomed into his open hand. Nearly one in the morning. Good. They'd still be awake.

He creeped out of his bed, nodding as his four roommates snored happily. Ron Weasley the loudest amongst them. The ginger boy needed his sinuses cleared. He had to be keeping his family awake all night when he was at home with a racket like that.

He opened his trunk and winced as it knocked into his bedposts. He looked around and watched with bated breath as Dean rubbed at his eyes and rolled over in his bed talking about the Hammers. Whatever they were, a football team Harry thought.

Satisfied he hadn't been rumbled he searched his trunk, shifting copies of monthly Duelling and Quidditch magazines. He grinned at the smiling image of his father in the corner of the Summer Quidditch magazine cover. The picture smiled for a bit, checked his watch and smiled some more, the smile a little more strained this time.

Harry pushed his hand past the magazines, spare ingredients and books until his fingers hit the smooth surface of his mirror.

As a werewolf, and therefore unable to get much work in the Wizarding world, Remus interacted with Muggle society regularly. He'd had loads of different jobs, the most boring was when he worked in a call centre when Harry was nine, whatever the hell that was. It was probably something to do with Muggle telephones if Harry had to guess.

One day at work Remus had heard some of his colleagues talking about three-way calling. Apparently it was a Muggle technology that allowed someone to talk to two different people on the phone, at the same time, instead of just the one. This had inspired the werewolf and once he'd been fired, as he usually was after a couple of months, he set to improving the mirrors the Marauders had used to keep in contact at all times. Most of the time it was when one of them was in detention but it had had some use for James when he was on a case.

After several disastrous prototypes, and a rather amusing conversation when Remus had 'called' Sirius through his mirror and caught the hound dog in a very compromising position involving handcuffs and a collar, Remus presented them with a mirror each during the last summer. It'd had been some very clever charm-work, a mix of reflective charms, shrinking charms and adjustable volume charms.

Or something like that, Harry had tried to listen but it just left him boggled to hell. Maybe he'd get it after he'd graduated but he doubted it. Hermione might, she'd at least asked a couple of clever questions instead of his and Neville's dumbfounded disbelief.

'Gotcha,' Harry murmured. He lifted the mirror out with one hand and tucked it under his arm.

His eyes were drawn to the small pictures on the inside of the lid of his trunk. There was a picture of him and his friends in Diagon Alley, four kids smiling and laughing while their parents and grandparents dipped and dived in and out of the photo. A much-loved picture of a heavily pregnant, very tired, redheaded woman twirling her wand around her fingers flashed him a knowing smile before a younger version of James Potter snuck behind her and threw his arms around Lily making her gasp.

Harry winked at his younger parents and shut the lid of his trunk. He tip-toed to his bed and drew the curtains together, immediately casting a couple silencing charms.

He'd learnt the hard way to be thorough with them. They were essential when trying to keep a secret in a house where a dog Animagus and a werewolf lived. Harry still blushed whenever he remembered the time at breakfast when James had asked him what Daphne's parents thought about their daughter getting mirror calls from a boy, when she was in her bedroom, nearly every night.

'Neville can you hear me?' Harry asked the thin air.

He smiled when Neville didn't reply. Either his silencing charms had worked or Neville was so fast asleep nothing would wake him. Both would do but he'd prefer to think his charms had worked. Confidence was key after all.

'Good stuff,' Harry said. He lifted the two foot by one foot mirror with a hovering charm and stared at it when it reached eye level. 'Marauders!'

A flash of iridescent light went across the surface of the mirror, covering Harry's face in light, and once it faded a line had cut down the middle, cleaving the mirror in half. A second line followed as a horizontal line splitting the mirror into four equal squares, one in each corner. Harry's glaring face was in the bottom right square while the other three were black with an emblazoned letter J, R and S in the other squares.

'Dad! Remus! Dog breath! Answer the damned mirror. We have a certain tournament to talk about.' Harry's glare intensified as he was met with the same letters until the S disappeared and was replaced by the dishevelled, laughing face of Sirius Black in his bedroom at the Potter home.

'Alright Harry? How was the Welcoming Feast?' Sirius' grin nearly split his face.

'We'll wait for the others before I start yelling you, arse,' Harry snapped. 'You better be alone. Remus! Dad!'

Sirius nodded, still grinning as the R was replaced by the rueful looking Remus Lupin. 'Good morning Harry, I trust you had a safe trip? How are Daphne and Tracey?'

'Good, where's Dad?' Harry said, with a little more respect but not much. He was angry with Remus too. 'He's not on a case is he?'

Before Remus could answer the J faded away to the completely alert face of James Potter, a small smile playing at his lips with a framed picture of a family holiday to the Alps half in and half out of the top right corner of the square.

'Hello son and heir,' James said. 'I'm not on a case, no. You got lucky though, I was about to leave.'

'Hey James! How was work? Robards give you anymore shit tonight?' Sirius asked. 'How about Becky, did she finally jump you yet?'

James' glare matched his son's only it was aimed to his top left. 'Do shut up Sirius, Harry is clearly very angry with us.' James' smile threatened to break loose again. 'Oh and Tonks said she'll be over soon Remus so we'd best make this quick.'

Remus blushed as Sirius wolf-whistled and Harry rolled his eyes. 'Thank you James. Now Harry, as you finally have all three of us, what can we help you with?'

Harry scowled at his smirking family. 'Where do I start? Oh I know, why the fuck didn't you tell me the fucking Triwizard Tournament was at Hogwarts this year!'

'Language Harry,' James scolded, frowning. 'You're angry I know but calm down and we'll explain.'

Harry crossed his arms and waited. 'This had better be good Dad.'

James sighed and rubbed at his eyes while leaning back in his desk chair with a groan. His face dropped and the jokey nonchalance disappeared. He slumped forwards so his elbows were pushed into the plastic armrests with his chin resting on his upturned thumbs while his fingers were linked in front of his mouth.

'First off Harry, this wasn't kept from you by my choice. I was strong armed for a start and then outvoted.' Harry's face darkened as Sirius grinned. 'This was up to Dumbledore and some higher ups at the Ministry. The students weren't to know. It was supposed to be a _surprise_,' James practically spat the word.

Harry's temper ebbed a little but didn't go altogether. 'Okay but this wouldn't have been the first time you'd have gone against Dumbledore. The prophecy ringing any bells?'

'This was different Harry,' James said. 'I couldn't tell you.'

'Why not?'

James scowled again. 'It was made clear to me that if I told you that Crouch would make my job very difficult. He seemed to think you wouldn't keep it to yourself. I believe his exact words were 'Personally Potter I'd rather not take your word for it that your son won't spill the secret to all his friends like a chattering ninny.' Or something like that.'

Harry hit the roof. 'What the fuck? Who does Crouch think he is? The guy hasn't even met me! And why does he have a say? Who in Merlin's name is he?'

'He's the department head of International Magical Co-operation, Harry. Bartemius Crouch is working with Bagman and even Amelia can't stand against two department heads, the Minister and Dumbledore just because I want to tell my son about their big secret.'

'They do know that every year, without fail, I've had to fight for my life right?' Harry asked. His irritation only rising more when the three men didn't answer him. 'Dumbledore does at least! I can be trusted damn it! No one but Neville and Hermione know about my lessons with Moody for example and that's a little more secret than their stupid freaking tournament!'

James shrugged. 'Sorry Harry, my hands were tied.'

'Well what about you two?' Harry rounded on his godfathers. 'You weren't being pressured, you could have told me!'

'Yup, could have. On several occasions actually.' Sirius said thoughtfully then he grinned wolfishly. 'Didn't feel like it.'

Harry mouthed at Sirius wordlessly.

'We did try to drop hints Harry,' Remus said nonchalantly. 'It isn't our fault you weren't thinking hard enough.'

'You bastards!' Harry finally hollered. 'Even after the World Cup? And with all that happened last year? And the year before? And the year before _that_! You don't tell me about this? Why?'

Sirius burst out laughing and smacked his leg repeatedly as he fell backwards in a flash of tanned skin and dark blue fabric. 'Oh kiddo, never change.'

Remus managed to keep himself more in check but still smiled slyly. 'Sorry Harry, Sirius made a very compelling case for not telling you.'

'And what was that?' Harry asked venomously. Focussing on his father's face when the elder Potter started to crack up a little himself. 'What?'

'That if you weren't so busy perving on girls and trying to beat Moody in a duel, which is the second most funniest thing I've ever seen by the way, you'd have figured this out before your birthday.'

Harry snarled at Remus as all three men burst into laughter. Sirius started pointing as well.

Harry glared at the laughing Marauders, thinking of new ways to prank them for each second they carried on. He couldn't believe it. They'd not told him because they thought it was funny? Sure if he thought about it he could see the funny side but if Draco fucking Malfoy had known about this tournament he'd make his family pay for leaving him out of the loop on something this big.

James sobered first and frowned at his son's still angry expression. 'What is it Harry? I know you're irritated but there's got to be more to it than you being kept in the dark.' James perched forwards on his chair and stared out of the mirror intently. 'What's wrong?'

Sirius and Remus, upon hearing James serious tone, stopped laughing almost immediately.

'Harry?' James asked. Concern etched into his face.

Harry sighed and rubbed at his face. This wasn't going to go down well.

'I had another Voldemort dream,' Harry said. 'Like the other one, only without the old man.'

The Marauder's faces paled as one and Harry almost wished he hadn't told them. He hated that look. The fear, the worry, it was horrible and he'd seen it far too much since he started at Hogwarts.

He rolled his shoulders backwards and made himself more comfortable on the bed as James' look became more intently focused on Harry.

'Okay Harry,' James started. 'Tell me everything. Who was in the room? Was it just Pettigrew and Voldemort? Did they kill anyone else? What did they say, do and where were they?'

Harry dropped his head into his hands and wracked his brain for the dream. His stomach dropped and his scar throbbed as he recalled as much of it as he could.

'It was just Voldemort and the rat,' his voice was ice cold, more monotonous than he could remember it ever sounding. 'They were in the same manor house I think. They were talking about the Triwizard Tournament, they definitely called it that. They didn't really do anything, just talk. It felt like Pettigrew was giving a report. Something about an operative at Hogwarts being in place.'

'Snape,' Sirius interrupted. 'It has to be!'

Could it be Snape? The slimy professor certainly didn't like him but did he really want him dead? No, he didn't think so. Not with the life debt he owed James. Harry said as much.

'I agree with Harry, James,' Remus said his face alight with thought. 'Severus may hate us all but he couldn't do physical harm to you or Harry, it just wouldn't be possible.'

Sirius scoffed. 'Come off it Moony, who else could it be? The only new person in the castle is Moody and we know it isn't him! It's gotta be Snape.'

James mulled this over. Harry could see every possible scenario play through his dad's head, his eyes making loops around the mirror like he was watching a fly buzz around in front of his face. It took what felt like ages for him to speak again. 'No, Snape is too far under Albus' thumb to be involved in this. He might run back to his old master if Voldemort gets a body but not before. He's not stupid enough to leave Dumbledore's protection for a rumour.'

'But James –'

James' face turned to Sirius' square. 'No Sirius, Remus and Harry are right, it's not Snape. No matter how much you want an excuse to throw him in Azkaban. It's not him.'

Sirius scowled angrily and scratched at his hair so it covered half of his face. 'Fine, but tell me, who else it could be?'

'Ton of foreign students and a couple of teachers coming over in October Sirius,' Harry said. 'Who knows where their loyalties lie?'

'That's my boy.' James smiled proudly while Harry blushed. 'We'll make an Auror out of you yet.'

Remus shook his head and was about to say something when a woman's voice echoed out of both Sirius and Remus' squares.

'Remus? Sirius? Anyone home?' A too-bright voice for past midnight shouted. 'It's me~.'

Harry chuckled as Remus disappeared off the mirror leaving the square taken over by a plush leather armchair Harry knew was in the corner of Remus' bedroom.

'Up here Dora! Just wait a second please,' Remus voice echoed.

'Kay,' Tonks called. 'But don't be long~.'

Remus came back with a sheepish smile. 'Sorry about that.'

Harry raised his eyebrows at Remus. 'Suppose I'd best let you go Remus, no one wants to leave a horny Metamorph alone in his kitchen, Merlin knows what she'll get up to.'

Sirius guffawed but was quieted with a look from Remus.

'Yes well, I suppose I deserved that for this summer.' Remus said. 'Are we even?'

Harry's grin was predatory. 'Not even close.'

Remus sighed. 'Fine, at least you're not back until summer. Right?'

Harry nodded, he may as well make the best of the tournament and Yule Ball was probably the best chance.

'Good. Bye Harry. James.'

Remus' square went black and was replaced again with a red R.

'I'd put silencing charms on your doors if I were you two. Unless you want to hear your childhood friend and cousin going at it of course,' Harry said with a wicked smile. 'If I remember correctly that girl is _loud_.'

'Harry,' James implored. 'Please stop.'

Sirius just barked with laughter. 'Well I think that might be the end of this now Dora's back. Are you okay Harry?'

Harry sighed, he'd wanted to talk for longer but he could see his dad fidgeting in his chair. 'Yeah there's no point carrying on if Remus' is getting busy. I do have classes tomorrow as well.'

'Okay, I'll talk to you soon kiddo, sleep tight say hello to your friends.'

And with that Sirius was gone as well, his face replaced with a black square and a S.

'Dad?' Harry asked.

James was looking at Harry as if trying to figure something particularly difficult out.

'Why didn't you tell me about this dream earlier?' James asked. 'I thought we agreed no secrets?'

'Look who's talking?' Harry's snapped. He was getting in trouble for not telling his dad something now? What the hell? 'I only had it this morning, and I was going to write to you tomorrow anyway. Besides you were at work, I didn't want to bother you.'

James' expression was pained. 'You are more important than my job Harry, you know that.'

Harry looked away, he could feel his cheeks burning. 'Yeah well, sorry. Won't happen again.'

James didn't look convinced but he didn't push. 'Alright, well I'll talk to Kingsley about Pettigrew tomorrow. See what he knows.'

Harry gave him a weird look. 'Kingsley?'

'He's the new Auror in charge of the manhunt.'

'Why aren't you in charge anymore?'

It had been the main reason James had gone into the Aurors after the war wasn't it? He didn't do it for the money that was for sure. He'd also known Pettigrew since they were boys, surely James was the best choice to hunt him down?

James grimaced and when he spoke it was through gritted teeth. 'I'm too close to the case apparently.'

'Oh.'

'Yeah, Amelia's words not mine. Look kiddo, there's not much we can do now, just try to put it out of your mind for the time being. Focus on your classes and try and enjoy the tournament. It should be an interesting watch if nothing else.'

Harry's frown matched his father's. Like he'd forget there was an insane half-dead wizard out for his blood sitting pretty in a mansion doing Merlin knew what and just enjoy the Triwizard Tournament. Who'd enjoy watching children facing death while trying to win eternal glory anyway?

'Alright Dad, I'll try.' Harry knew his look was mutinous when his father smirked at him. 'Want me to tell Professor Sinistra you say hello?'

James laughed lightly. 'I'm guessing that's your first dig at me for keeping secrets?'

Harry nodded and James laughed again.

'Alright. No, don't bother your professor, I can make my own hellos. The only professor I want you to focus on is McGonagall.' James smiled. 'She's not going to like that you're not taking anything to cover you dropping Divination.'

Harry grinned. No Professor McGonagall wouldn't like that. 'Not her problem, I went over her head, Professor Dumbledore and me made a deal. Free period this year if I hadn't changed my mind by the new term.'

The two Potters chuckled and for a moment it was like Harry was home again with his family and not hundreds of miles away waiting for the next bomb to be dropped on his head.

'Alright Harry, it's time we knocked it on the head,' James said reluctantly. 'Best of luck with McGonagall and have a good first day. Send an owl if you need anything. Good night, love you.'

The mirror went completely dark there was another flash and then Harry's face was the only reflection.

Harry sighed, picked the mirror out of the air and placed it back in his trunk. His eyes caught the picture of his parents again as he went to close the box.

'Night Dad, night Mum.' Picture James and Lily smiled at him fondly. 'Love you both.'

Harry closed the lid and slipped back into his bed and was asleep in seconds.


	6. You're A Sick One, Professor Moody

**Chapter Six: You're A Sick One, Professor Moody**

Harry knocked on the ornate wooden door with less respect than the occupant of the office probably deserved. He couldn't help it though. Professor McGonagall was too much fun to wind up.

'Enter.' McGonagall's tone seemed to agree his knock was inappropriate. He probably shouldn't have knocked out the beat to an English Football chant on her door. Oh well.

Harry pushed opened the door with the straightest face he could manage.

'Hello Professor,' Harry said as he walked into the room. 'How are you today?'

Professor McGonagall was sat behind her grand desk which, even on the first day of classes, was covered in Transfiguration projects. He hoped it was just summer homework or this year was going to be a lot tougher than he'd planned.

The room suited the dour Scotswoman down to a tee. It wasn't decorated in any particularly eccentric or personal way, unlike Dumbledore's office which was equal scoops of both, this was a room for work and for dealing with students and their parents. Harry figured her quarters were probably similar though. Minerva McGonagall didn't exactly scream fun.

The only really defining aspect of the office was the Hogwarts Quidditch Cup which sat in the place of honour on a heavily laden bookcase behind her desk.

'Fine.' Yep, she definitely didn't appreciate his joke. He was getting a tan from her glare. 'Please sit down, let's try not to cut into our lunches any further and make this brief shall we?'

She gestured to the only other chair in the room.

Harry nodded as he sat down, trying his hardest not to smirk.

'It really didn't have to cut into either of our lunches Professor. I'd already agreed with Professor Dumbledore last year. If I stuck out the rest of third year and let that deranged woman foretell my death every lesson I could drop her laughable subject and do something else of my choosing.'

McGonagall gave him a disdainful look. 'While you know my feelings towards Professor Trelawney's subject Mr Potter she still deserves your respect as a Hogwarts professor.'

Harry rolled his eyes ever so slightly but if McGonagall's deepening frown was anything to go by he hadn't been quite as sly as he'd thought. It probably didn't help that she was already pissed off with him for making a deal with the Headmaster that she couldn't really change. This 'meeting' was a mere formality mixed with the Professor's attempt to change his mind.

She wouldn't though, Albus flipping Dumbledore hadn't changed his mind and he had decades of experience of dealing with students over McGonagall. The Scotswoman didn't stand an ice cube's chance in Hell.

'Fine, sorry Professor. But I stuck out the year and I fully expect the Headmaster to honour our arrangement.'

McGonagall looked over her square rimmed glasses in full Deputy Head mode and stared at Harry. 'That is beside the point Potter, part of life is learning to put up with people you don't like.'

She relaxed her stare a little as she carried on speaking. After three years she'd finally learnt that anger and shouting didn't affect Harry at all. Angry teachers had become something of a lesser threat when faced with Dark Wizards and monsters.

'I know you have a deal with the Headmaster, and while I will never understand why he accepted it, I won't stand in your way.' She shook her head and crossed her hands on the desk. 'And just so we're clear Mr Potter, I still think it's a mistake.'

Harry knew what was coming. The merits of the other electives, why didn't he just exchange for another class over Divination? What would he possibly be able to learn on his own that a teacher couldn't help with? He'd had the exact same conversation with Hermione in third year, and then again this morning over breakfast.

And in Hermione's, McGonagall and even Dumbledore's defence, he could see their point. But that didn't matter, he wasn't going to change his mind. So he sat straight in his chair and awaited the truly justified reasoning that would only fall on deaf ears.

'Why didn't you come to me about this?' Professor McGonagall asked.

Harry blinked twice and shook his head. Well he hadn't expected that. 'I beg your pardon Professor? I must have misheard.'

She rolled her eyes, something that strangely looked right on her normally strict face. 'I know you must find this a shock Potter, but the teachers at this school are not your enemies who you must dance around. Me especially. I am your Head of House, these are exactly the kind of problems I am here to help you with. I helped Miss Granger when she dropped out of Divination, why didn't you come with her?'

Harry just stared at the Transfiguration professor. What in Merlin's name was all this about? Where was the fury? The indignation at his potentially overestimating of his own abilities? This was just weird.

Harry frowned and stared down at the papers on the desk. 'I'm sorry Professor, I didn't think you'd help so much as push me into a class I wasn't interested in.'

'Don't be ridiculous Potter. I know what happens to a classroom when someone from your family is bored.' Harry could have sworn she smirked at him when she said that. 'I taught your father and uncles remember? I would have merely explained the merits of the other classes. Such as Arithmancy, you're natural skill with magic coupled with bright students like Miss Granger and Miss Greengrass as your friends, you would have quickly caught up and have another branch of magic at your disposal.'

Harry rested back in the chair as the conversation turned towards more comfortable ground. Merlin had he got McGonagall wrong. Sirius was going to love this.

'Yes Professor, I had this conversation with the Headmaster last Christmas. I don't hold any interest in the other classes. I honestly believe I have more chance of learning something useful on my own while reporting to a professor.'

McGonagall raised an eyebrow at him. Good he had her curious now.

'Oh? Like what Mr Potter?'

Harry let himself smirk. Got her. 'Well it would probably be easier for me to present you with a list of all the magic I'll be researching and studying. But I'll be starting this afternoon with practicing my wand-less magic.'

The Professor's eyebrow dropped and she shook her head again. 'Really Potter, we don't start teaching that until your sixth year. Don't you think you're overestimating yourself?'

Harry ducked his head in a conceding manner. 'Perhaps.'

He looked around the room, focusing on the bookcase and squinted. He rubbed his hands together, showed the professor his empty hands, and stretched one out towards the bookcase.

'_Accio_ Quidditch Cup,' he said calmly.

McGonagall watched on disbelievingly as the golden cup dashed across the room and straight into Harry's outstretched hand. 'But I doubt it.'

McGonagall's eyebrows shot towards her hairline as Harry placed it on the desk in front of her. 'Mr Potter where did you learn that?' She picked up the cup and turned it over in her hand.

Harry shrugged. 'Advantage of living with three pranksters without a wand Professor. I can't do much else unfortunately but it'll do for now.' Harry checked his watch and pulled a face. 'Now Professor I have Ancient Runes to rush to, if that's all?'

Professor McGonagall came out of her daze as Harry stood and shouted after him as he reached the door. 'I'll want a report on your progress every week and your overall year plan by the beginning of October!'

Harry turned to her with a smile. 'Of course Professor, see you in Transfiguration.'

With that he left, leaving Professor McGonagall smiling slightly at the Quidditch Cup still in her hand.

* * *

The rain had died down to a light drizzle by the end of the classes that day but Harry still wasn't overly pleased he was stepping back out into it already. The two trips he'd made for Herbology had been enough for one day. Not to mention he'd probably miss dinner and his stomach was already growling at him like a caged lion.

Though he wasn't going to leave Daphne waiting just so he could feed himself, she wouldn't have stopped for food if he'd asked to meet up and if he did stop she'd be hungry and annoyed. Never a good mix if the near decade of friendship was anything to go by.

'Oh well,' he muttered as he reached the doorway. He waved his wand in an arch over his head as he stepped out into the rain. '_Protego._'

The water bounced off the clear shield that formed over his head with a slight plink noise that made Harry smile despite himself. He shook his head and started walking towards the Black Lake, still chuckling heartily.

'Oh grow up Potter,' he said.

He glanced over at Hagrid's cabin where there were several boxes by the door, slowly being put into the hut by the gamekeeper.

Hagrid was a wild-looking man. Actually Harry wasn't sure he was entirely man. There were some rumours knocking around that the big man was half-giant but Harry wasn't sure there was much weight to them. He mustn't have been raised by his mother, at least he hoped it was his mother, if the rumours were true. Hagrid was too gentle. Other than an old story James had read to him as a kid, Harry had never heard of a friendly giant.

He spotted Harry and waved with one bin lid sized hand and pointing at the boxes under his arm with a big grin.

Harry wasn't sure he wanted to know what was in those boxes but he had the sneaking suspicion they probably explained Neville and Hermione's frightened look when he briefly joined them for lunch.

He waved back at the large man and walked onwards through the sopping wet grass.

He saw the large oak tree on the edge of the Black Lake and frowned when he didn't see Daphne.

The closer he got he started checking the thick branches of the tree for a flash of blonde hair or green trim of her cloak and tie. He reached the trunk of the tree and cancelled his spell with a frown.

Where the hell was she? He'd never arrived somewhere before her, never. Did she get a detention or something? 'Daphne? You here?'

Only the sound of rain greeted him so he rested against the trunk of the tree and looked out across the lake searching for something, hell anything, to capture his attention. But after a couple of seconds, ripples spreading across water got rather old and the squid didn't make an appearance for the whole five minutes he waited before looking back up at the castle.

'Come on love,' he muttered after twenty minutes. 'You can't have detention, you don't get detention.'

'I beg to differ Mr Potter, Snape gave me detention last year for sticking up for you in class. Don't you remember?'

'I'd forgotten about that.' Lavender tickled his nose and he grinned. 'How long have you been here then?'

There was a swish of a wand and in front of Harry appeared a girl who came up to his eyes with neck length blonde hair, an increasingly womanly figure and the biggest grin Harry had ever seen on her delicate face. 'About ten minutes before you arrived. Your sensory magic must really suck darling, I wasn't using a complex charm to hide.'

Harry shook his head and pulled the grinning girl into a hug, making her squeak when he spun on the spot. She threw her arms around his neck and her hair tickled his face.

'Harry!' she laughed. 'Put me down!'

Harry gently lowered her so her feet touched the floor but still hugged her. 'So why hide? Weren't checking me out were you?'

Daphne sighed into his neck. 'Yeah like you didn't just hug me because you wanted to know how much my boobs have grown.'

'So that's a yes.' Harry ignored her barb, right as it may have been, and let her go. 'Did you like what you saw?'

Daphne chuckled and poked him in the chest. 'Well you've certainly grown. Whatever you're doing in the time you're unreachable is paying off.' She winked at him impishly and walked to the base of the tree.

Harry smiled and followed her, glancing at her arse when she bent over to rummage at the base of the tree. 'Thank you but I'm still not telling you what I'm doing.'

'Damn it.' Daphne jokingly scowled at him over her shoulder and clicked her fingers like an idea had suddenly come to her. 'What if I flashed you?'

Harry burst out laughing and nearly doubled over.

Daphne scowled at him and stood back up with a basket in hand, wiping of a bit of imaginary dirt from her school trousers. 'A girl could take offence to that you know.'

'That's not why I laughed Daph, you know that.' He joined her by the trunk and kissed her on the top of the head. 'You stunned me on my birthday remember?'

Daphne smiled victoriously and leant against Harry. 'Yes, I do. Speaking of which, did you get any grief from our lovely friends about not telling me I looked nice?'

'Not yet,' Harry smirked. 'I assume Tracey did her nut when you lied and told her I hadn't said how gorgeous you looked?'

'Didn't need to tell her.' Daphne cast a drying charm over the grass beneath them and sat down cross legged. 'She just naturally assumed you were a twat and didn't notice.'

'Can't imagine where she got that from,' Harry quipped earning him a swat on the arm.

'Anyway,' Daphne continued, trying not to smile. 'It was a very long rant apparently.' Harry gave her an odd look. 'Hermione brought me up to speed in Arithmancy after lunch. I almost wish I hadn't been with Tori when they were talking about you. It sounded quite entertaining.'

Harry let Daphne pull him down next to her but didn't say anything. He had suspected the first thing Tracey would do when he'd left was bitch about them, well more him he supposed, but she was definitely the one out of their friends who was most insistent that he and Daphne should be together and their denial must be driving her crazy.

Still it was too funny to come and laugh about it with his so called wife, to stop winding Tracey up. Pranksters at heart the pair of them, they'd decided to play up to it a bit. Harry would get really arsey about it and Daphne would go quiet and try not to laugh at the more creative threats and arguments Tracey made towards Harry.

Though it was getting a bit old and now the five of them had started to seriously grow Tracey and Neville were going to become more adamant. Sirius too probably.

Fourth year running it would seem, the Yule Ball wasn't going to be as fun as he'd hoped after all. He opened his eyes and looked at Daphne's head resting on his shoulder. Maybe he should go with Daphne just to shut their friends up? They'd certainly have great fun together.

'You alright there love?' Daphne said, a slight frown in place on her pretty face. 'You were long gone.'

'Hmm.'

No, he couldn't really take Daphne just to shut Tracey and Neville up. It wouldn't be fair to Daphne for a start and she probably had someone else she wanted to go with. It was incredibly arrogant of him to assume she'd go with him anyway. Not to mention everyone would be insufferable when it didn't develop into what they wanted it to.

He'd just try and get a few dances in, he'd be stupid not to. Because she _was _gorgeous.

'Just thinking.'

'Oh no!' She frowned and tapped him on the forehead. 'Shouldn't push yourself Harry, it's only the first day back. Relax more.'

'Yes dear,' he said.

She nodded at him and started pulling out food and bottles of drink from the basket resting on her crossed legs.

'What's this?' Harry took a ham and cheese sandwich, his favourite, that was offered to him. His stomach grumbled so loudly when he looked at it that Daphne raised an eyebrow at him.

'Dinner,' she said simply. 'I know you didn't have time for much lunch before your chat with McGonagall and meeting me probably meant you didn't eat any dinner either so I brought food. Now eat it.' She pushed his still outstretched arm towards him.

'Marry me?' He took a big bite out of the sandwich and rested against the tree behind them his eyes half closed. 'Seriously.'

'I'll talk to our parents later, just eat.' She tried to hide her smile by grabbing more food out of the basket for them.

Harry smirked and ate the sandwich obediently, taking more food as it was thrust at him. 'Your hair looks nice by the way, when did you get it cut?'

Daphne shook her hair out as she took a sip from a plastic glass. Merlin only knew where she'd got this stuff from. It couldn't be the house-elves. It was too Muggle.

'While we were abroad, there was this charming little hair salon down the street from the hotel.' She winced and looked at Harry sheepishly. 'Oh and I may have accidentally mentioned my boyfriend was Harry Potter when this boy wouldn't go away while we were in Barcelona's magical district.'

'So that's why Teen Witch Weekly had a fit. I did wonder.' Harry chuckled as Daphne ducked her head. 'Did it work?'

'Poor boy ran a mile, what do you do when you go to Europe? The boy ran like Death was after him.'

Harry just smiled and left Daphne staring at him waiting for an answer she had to know wasn't coming. It wasn't like he could tell her he and Moody were tearing up the amateur duelling circuit in Europe as part of his training. Thank Merlin for lighter restrictions on underage magic on the continent.

He took another sandwich and ate it calmly. She'd give up eventually, she always did. But first there would be a gauntlet of approaches for him to go through.

'Harry James Potter! Don't ignore my question,' Daphne snapped, her cheeks going red. He had always thought she should go into acting.

Anger. One down.

Harry didn't react immediately. He slowly picked up a glass and sipped from it. He made a small appreciative noise and turned to Daphne with an innocent look. 'Lovely juice Daphne.'

'Harry, come on, please tell me. Please?'

He didn't dare look at what he knew was Daphne's most adorable pleading look, the girl had perfected that when they were eight and it'd been his downfall in every argument they'd had for years.

'No.'

Pleading. Two down one to go.

He watched a manicured hand land on his leg and felt Daphne's breath on his ear, he glanced down at her and sure enough a couple buttons had been undone on her shirt. He looked pointedly in the other direction trying to think of anything but the rather nice view down her shirt.

Wait a second was that a lacy bra?

He forcibly shook himself. 'Must be strong. Must be strong. Must be strong,' he muttered.

Daphne's coy smile turned predatory. 'Come on Mr Potter, tell your wife, I'll make it worth your while.' She rubbed her leg up his trouser leg to his thigh and nuzzled his neck. 'You know you want to.'

Well hot damn, Daphne came to play.

'Really Daphne?' He muttered in her ear, trying desperately to keep his voice from cracking. Hey he was fourteen alright? 'I like the schoolgirl thing as much as the next guy but I know you're not serious.'

'Fine be a spoilsport,' Daphne huffed good-naturedly and nudged him with her shoulder. 'But give me a year and that'll work like a charm.'

Three down and done. Thank Merlin.

Harry shrugged, she had a point. If he hadn't known that she wasn't serious it would have worked now. He'd never been more thankful for their years of friendship until she'd started trying to use what all the women he knew closely called 'womanly wiles'. He knew some very odd women.

Daphne buttoned herself back up and helped herself to the last sandwich. 'You won't mind me snagging the last sandwich if you're going to be boring will you?'

'Not at all,' Harry said. 'I'm full anyway. Now do you want me to tell you about my chat with McGonagall?'

Daphne nodded and snuggled into his side. 'Please. Did she give you what you wanted?'

Harry put his arm around her when he felt her shiver and rubbed her arm. Warming charms were more practical but this was nicer. 'Pretty much, she shocked the hell out of me first though.'

Daphne looked puzzled. 'How? Did she threaten you with detention or something?'

'No. She seemed … hurt that I hadn't come to her first.' The grass around them started to rustle. 'Just weird.'

'It's not that weird,' Daphne said. 'She and the other Heads aren't like Snape remember? They want to help their students. McGonagall would probably have helped you see something you hadn't in one of the electives. It would have been nice to have you in Arithmancy.'

'Sounds like fun.' Harry smirked and prodded her in the side. 'But I don't think Professor Vector would approve. Hermione'd probably go catatonic as well. You can have me anywhere else though.'

Daphne rolled her eyes and flicked his nose playfully. 'Out of the gutter you, you know what I meant.'

Harry chuckled. 'Yeah, but Arithmancy has always struck me as girl time for you and Hermione, who would I be to interrupt?' He put a hand up when Daphne started to talk again. 'And besides, I prefer to blow stuff up, not figure out how I'm doing it. Takes the fun out of it.'

Daphne smiled at him fondly and prodded him back. 'Child.'

'Yup.' Harry grinned. 'Love me though.'

'Merlin save me but I do.' Daphne rested her head on his shoulder, wrapped an arm around his back, grabbed his hand and sighed. 'Now, tell me about this dream you had the night before yesterday.'

Harry groaned. 'Who told you?' He'd bet his rather sizable trust fund it was Hermione. Neville wouldn't have tried to get Daphne to question him, besides he already knew, and Tracey didn't know. Honestly, why didn't that girl get that he knew how to handle his problems without running to people for help? He'd told his dad, why did she have to worry Daphne as well?

'You did,' Daphne said simply. She elaborated when Harry raised an eyebrow at her. 'You always have this same troubled look when you've dreamt about Voldemort Harry, I saw you get on the train when I was with Tori. What happened? Was it like the one you had when I was at yours over summer?'

Yeah, that hadn't been one of the better moments of the school holidays. He didn't think he'd ever been more horrified when it was Daphne who had found him puking and shivering into the toilet at the Potter house. He'd have preferred Sirius to find him, take pictures and tease him with them for the rest of his life rather than have to remember Daphne's face when she'd found him.

'Not that bad,' Harry muttered. 'I just woke up with a pounding headache.'

Daphne urged him on with her eyes. How was it he had to recount this three times in the space of three days?

'He didn't kill anyone this time,' He squeezed Daphne's hand and she visibly relaxed, that had been the worst bit for her when he'd told her about his dream. 'But he and the rat were talking about something to get at me and they were talking about … they were talking about the Triwizard Tournament Daphne.'

Daphne's thin eyebrows disappeared into her fringe. 'But how could you …'

'Have dreamt about the Triwizard Tournament before I knew it was going to happen?' Harry finished grimly. 'I don't know but they were talking about me as well.'

Harry sighed deeply. 'I have a very bad feeling about this tournament. Something's going to happen again. I can just tell.'

Daphne nodded slowly and hugged Harry tightly. 'I think you're right. But this dream worries me more. What if it's real and you're seeing into Voldemort's head? Could he look back?'

Harry grimaced and stared out across the wind and rain that was picking up again.

'I don't know, I really don't know.'

* * *

The first Defence Against the Dark Arts class of the year was met with a lot of excitement and a little curiosity by most of the fourth years. Rumours of how awesome Professor Moody was had reverberated around the school from the very first day.

The Weasley twins and their friend Lee Jordan, the cheeky commentator for the Quidditch matches at Hogwarts, would tell anyone who'd listen in the Gryffindor Common Room about how Moody 'knew it all' and had 'seen it mate, _really_ seen it!'.

Harry was dubious they were actually talking about the real Alastor Moody. It just didn't fit. Mad Eye had told him he hated teaching kids, several times, so he wasn't sure whether he was just bluffing his lessons and the students ate it up, or if the students were just so dazzled by him that they were able to get past that the ex-Auror was probably thinking of the best way to incapacitate each and every person in the classroom.

However when he'd heard that Moody had transfigured Malfoy into a white ferret as a punishment for something he'd said to Ron Weasley that had ended in a rather foolish argument and then Malfoy trying to curse Ron with his back turned, Harry's suspicions were gone.

Moody had been doing that sort of thing to Auror trainees for years if his and James' stories were right. Transfiguration was always Moody's preferred method of discipline. He'd tried to do it to Harry once but he'd missed. Apparently if Harry had been hit he'd have been turned into a green toad with a scar on its forehead. Which would probably be in the place of honour in Sirius' photo collection.

So it was with a lot of curiosity that the Slytherins and Gryffindors filed into the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom on Thursday after lunch.

Harry shook his head as he watched Ron, Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas rush to the front seats.

'Cus that's not gonna piss Moody off at all. Three fan boys up in the front row,' Harry muttered to Neville as they sat down.

'Wouldn't he be more annoyed with your scowling face up front? Or some of the Slytherins?' Neville asked from Harry's right. 'You know instead of hiding in the back of the class.'

That was true. The only Slytherins that weren't in the back section of the classroom were Tracey, who was sat with Hermione in the row behind, and Daphne who was on Harry's other side. The rest had rushed to the supposed safety of the back of the classroom.

Harry grimaced but didn't say anything.

'Oh cheer up Harry,' Daphne whispered. 'It could be interesting and at least this way you won't just have to put up with stories from the good old days. You'll get to learn from him.'

Harry coughed but didn't say anything.

'Harry?' Daphne said slowly. She tapped her fingernails on the surface of her desk. 'What am I missing?'

Tracey guffawed from behind them as Harry shook his head. 'Nothing Daph.'

Daphne looked over her shoulder at the other Slytherin who was trying her damnedest not to laugh more as Moody walked in.

'Books away!' He said gruffly as he clomped up to the front of the room. 'You won't be needing them.'

Daphne glared at Harry and mouthed something that looked like 'Later' that Harry pretended not to see. He cleared his throat as he put his copy of The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection away and tried not to catch Daphne's eye.

Moody had pulled a blackboard to the front of the desk and started writing 'Moody' across it with a piece of chalk. He turned to face the class and read out a register off his desk, his magic blue eye whizzing around to each face as he went through it. Harry could have sworn it focused on him and Neville for a little longer than necessary but he ignored it. Moody was probably just checking their alertness.

He dropped the register back on his desk and stared out at them.

'My name is Alastor Moody, ex-Auror, Ministry malcontent and for the next year your Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.'

'You're only staying a year?!' Ron shouted before he could stop himself, his ears burning red.

The room as a whole tensed as both of Moody's eyes focused on Ron and for a long second he didn't say anything. Then he smiled, making his scarred face contort in a way Harry still wasn't used to seeing. That face shouldn't smile. The tension lessened though and the rest of the class breathed out the air they'd been holding in.

'You'll be Arthur Weasley's boy then?' Moody growled.

Ron nodded, looking relieved.

'You lot are everywhere,' Moody said with a shake of his shaggy head. 'Your father helped me out with a tough situation a couple days ago. Yes, I'm only here for a year, little favour to Dumbledore and then back to my quiet life.' He barked with laughter and clapped his gnarled hands together.

'Right then, I received a letter from Professor Vance telling me about what you lot learned last year. You studied some Dark creatures?'

The students nodded at him as he scanned the room.

'Okay,' he nodded. 'That's good but you're far, far behind in curses. So this next year we'll be studying some of the nastiest things wizards can do to each other. Curses come in many strengths and forms. The Ministry of Magic says I should only show you the counter-curses and leave it at that.' Moody rolled his real eye and shook his head angrily. 'Apparently you're not old enough to deal with the actual illegal Dark curses until your sixth year when you're a whole two years older and oh so much more mature.'

Harry covered a snort of laughter. Moody had ranted at him on this exact topic for a good hour once. Hopefully the aged Auror would tone down the swearing this time though.

'Professor Dumbledore however thinks more of your nerves, he reckons you'll cope fine and I think the earlier you know what you're up against the better prepared you'll be. When a Dark wizard is going to hit you with a curse he isn't going to be all polite and stop and tell you what he's gonna do. You need to be prepared. You need to be alert. You need to put away that horoscope when I am talking Miss Brown!'

Lavender gasped and went beet red. She hurriedly put away her supposed Divination homework she'd been showing her fellow Gryffindor, and Divination junkie, Parvati Patil under her desk. It would seem Moody was showing off his magic eye to the kids just like he'd said he would.

Harry shook his head. The girl may be hot but honestly, second row of a classroom? Why not put a big neon sign up that she wasn't paying attention. Idiot.

'So does anyone know the three most heavily punished curses by Wizarding law?

Several hands rose tentatively, Ron and Hermione's amongst them.

Moody pointed at Ron but his blue eye was still focused on the sheepish looking Lavender.

'My dad told me about one,' Ron started. 'The Imperius curse?'

Moody nodded appreciatively. 'Yeah, your dad _would _know all about that one. Blasted thing gave the ministry one hell of a headache during the last war.'

Moody limped around to his desk and pulled out a large glass jar with three big, black spiders scurrying around it. The front row recoiled back as the glass was put on Ron's desk. Ron himself had pushed his chair away from the desk looking an interesting pale colour. It would appear Ron had a problem with spiders.

Moody reached into the jar and pulled out one spider. He pointed his wand at his fist and said. '_Imperio!'_

He opened up his hand to show the spider was stood at attention on the palm of his hand.

The spider tumbled through the air until it landed on the desk and cartwheeled around until it reached the ledge and stopped so it was leant over the edge on two of its legs. The spider back-flipped towards Ron, jumped and landed on his leg.

The Slytherins burst into laughter while Ron whimpered and went paler and paler in his seat, too frightened to move or make a sound.

'Laughing at something?' Moody growled at the back of the room.

The spider jumped from Ron's knee and swung on its thread until it landed on Goyle's, one of Malfoy's henchmen/friends, head and started doing a tap dance with two legs.

The rest of the classroom joined in the laughter. Everyone but Moody and Harry.

Harry glared at Moody and Moody's magic eye glared back at Harry. Moody nodded and the spider moved back to his hand.

'Think it's funny do you?' Moody said dangerously. 'You'd be happy for it to be done to you?'

The room sobered immediately.

'Total control. Someone who casts that curse on you could make you do anything. Drown yourself, jump off a bridge even make you kill your family.' Moody's eye still hadn't moved from Harry.

Harry scowled and looked away. He ignored his friends' concerned looks. Especially Neville's. He didn't want to look at the boy, he knew what was coming next and it was going to tear at Neville horribly.

'Years back,' Moody started again. 'There were wizards and witches who were under the influence of the Imperius Curse. The Ministry didn't know who to trust and who was a threat. It still hasn't been fully sorted out who was doing things against their will and who was a real supporter of the Dark Lord.'

Moody's eye scanned the entirety of the Slytherins, even Tracey and Daphne. Harry could feel Daphne's indignation. Her parents had been two of the people to claim to be under the Imperius Curse during the war. They'd been cleared, by James himself, but Moody was still iffy about the Greengrasses.

'The Imperius Curse can be fought and I'll be trying to teach you to do just that. But it'll take real strength of character and not all of you will manage it. Better to dodge it if you can. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!' he shouted and everybody jumped. Even Harry.

He threw the spider in his hand back into the jar.

'Anyone know another?' His eye span in the socket waiting for the next student to test their nerve.

A couple more people raised their hands. Neville was one of them. His hand shook in the air but it was there.

Harry winced as Moody zeroed in on Neville with a peculiar look on his face. Why? Neville had to know what was going to happen, why put himself through it? And what in Merlin's name was Moody playing at choosing Neville?

'Yes?' Moody hissed. His eye fixed on the boy.

Harry grabbed Neville's arm. 'Nev what are you doing?'

'Leave it Harry,' Neville muttered. 'There's the Cruciatus Curse,' he said softly.

Moody looked at Neville with both eyes.

'Your name's Longbottom?' Moody's magical eye rolled over in his head towards the desk.

Neville nodded resolutely and Moody stumped back to the front of the class and pulled out a spider and placed it on the teacher's desk. The spider tried to scamper away but Moody pointed his wand at it and it froze as if scared stiff.

'Needs to be bigger for you to get a proper feel for this one. _Engorgio_!' He thrust his hand forward.

The spider swelled so it was larger than a tarantula. Neville stared avidly at the spider while Harry closed his eyes as Moody raised his wand again.

'_Crucio_!' Moody whispered.

Harry didn't need to watch, he'd seen this before. Moody had shown him this entire lesson when Moody had started him on the serious curses. The spider's legs would buckle and it would roll to the surface of the table and it would try to scream in pain only not able to make a noise.

There was a rattling from next to Harry and he opened his eyes to find Neville's grip on his desk was so tight he'd lifted it off the floor and the nails were starting to give way. His eyes wide with tears building in the corners of his eyes.

Moody still had his wand pointed at the spider and it had started to shudder and jerk more violently –

'Moody! Stop it!' Harry roared.

Moody's magic eye zoned in on him and looked at him intently but he didn't lift the curse.

Harry stared back, furious, his fist wrapped around his wand in his pocket. He didn't give a shit that they had to know this. He didn't care that Neville had mentioned it in the first place. He refused to let this continue. 'Stop it now.'

Moody let the spider go and it relaxed but one leg still twitched horribly.

Neville continued to stare at the twitching spider even when Hermione reached over and squeezed his shoulder.

'_Reducio_,' Moody muttered and the spider shrank down. Moody put it back in the jar.

'Pain,' Moody almost whispered. 'You don't need knives or anything fancy when you can use the Cruciatus. That one was popular as well.'

Harry grit his teeth and looked at Neville, he'd let go off the desk and was shakily repairing the damage he'd done to it.

'Anyone know any others?' Moody asked.

No one answered him. Even Hermione hadn't raised her hand.

Moody picked out the final spider and walked over to Harry, his wand held in his fist like a vice. 'Maybe since you're so keen to speak out, you can tell us the third one Mr Potter.'

Harry breathed heavily and looked up at Moody.

'_Avada Kedavra_,'Harry spat.

Moody nodded and a smile twisted his lop-sided face. 'Yes, the Killing Curse, the last and the worst, _Avada Kedavra_.'

Moody let the spider out onto Harry's desk and it scuttled for its recently shortened life.

Moody raised his wand and Harry could have punched him for putting him through this again. His stomach tightened and he watched the spider.

'_Avada Kedavra_!' Moody snarled.

Harry saw the sickly green light and felt the invisible push of death from his nightmares as the spider dropped on the desk, stone dead.

Girls muffled their screams, Harry saw Daphne forcibly stop herself from moving to him out of the corner of his eye. He'd remember to thank her for that composure later.

The spider skidded towards Harry. He schooled his features into resigned indifference as he felt, rather than saw, Moody watching him with both his eyes.

Moody swept the dead spider into his robes' pocket and made his way back to his desk where he deposited the spider in a bin.

'Not nice,' Moody said as he turned back to the class as one. 'Unblockable and no counter-curse. There is only one person who is known to have survived it and he's sitting in this room.'

Harry stared resolutely at the blackboard as every eye turned to him. Pity is what he could feel, and he hated it.

He'd seen it before, he hadn't needed to see it again. James had told him all he knew about Lily Potter's death. It hadn't been much. There had been scans and they knew what spell had been used. It hadn't been hard to figure out though.

Not for the first time Harry was immensely glad James hadn't been in that house that Halloween night and that he hadn't lost both his parents to that dreadful curse.

'That last one is the worst but you've got to put some real power and hate behind it, there's not a single one of you here who could take your wand out and point at me who wouldn't give me more than a nosebleed or a nasty cut if you cast the Killing Curse. But that's fine, I'm not here to teach you how to use it anyway.'

Moody was writing on his board again. When he stepped away the words 'Unforgivable Curses' could be seen written in striking letters.

'I know what you are thinking,' Moody began as he sat down in his desk-chair with the good grace to be sombre. 'There's no blocking it and no counter-curse, what good could knowing help you?'

Moody sighed. 'But you've got to know what you're up against, you've _got _to. You need to know what you're up against and what one of the very worst things there is. You don't want to find yourself against them. You need to maintain CONSTANT VIGILANCE!' Moody roared and everyone jumped again except for Harry and Neville. Harry just felt like beating the shit out of him.

'Now those three curses, Imperius, Cruciatus and Avada Kedavra. Casting any one of those on another human being will land you a one way ticket to Azkaban for the rest of your life. As such they are grouped together and called the Unforgivable Curses.'

Moody stood again and walked to his board.

'Now you know what they look like I want you to take your quills out and start making notes on how I'm going to teach you to fight them.'

There was general rummaging to get quills and parchment out but other than Moody's voice there weren't any noises from the students for the rest of the class. They wrote down notes on the Unforgivable Curses for the next hour and when the bell rang they drifted out of the class in daze.

Once they were out of the classroom the students began to discuss the curses in awed voices like the spectacle they'd just seen was something to be excited about instead of disgusted and horrified.

Neville didn't speak, he just let himself be guided out by a teary Hermione. Harry however stopped in the doorway.

He couldn't help Neville, this would only be healed by time and a bit of vengeance hopefully down the road. If it got his friend to Bellatrix Lestrange and her husband Harry would do anything, if Frank and Alice Longbottom had been put through what the spider had and worse, he swore to Merlin he'd get Neville his revenge.

Harry was brought out of his thoughts by the soft touch of a hand in his.

'Harry? You alright?' Daphne's fingers were warm as they slotted into the gaps between his and she squeezed tightly.

Harry nodded and took his hand from Daphne's. 'Yeah, there's just something I need to do.'

'What are you talking about Harry?' Daphne asked, concern coursing through her tone.

Harry turned back around in the doorway. 'Go to dinner Daphne, I'll talk to you later.'

Harry stormed back into the classroom and locked the door before Daphne could come after him. She'd be pissed but so was he.

'Alastor,' Harry shouted at the man who was just walking up the stairs to his office. 'We need to have words.'

Moody's eyes widened briefly before he looked Harry up and down and smirked. 'Aye lad, I think we do.'

Moody continued into his office with Harry glaring daggers into the man's back as he hurried after him, his wand clenched in his fist.

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Harry Potter is the property of J.K. Rowling and I am merely taking her characters out for a very long walk.**


	7. Suspicious Minds

**Chapter Seven: Suspicious Minds**

The week following Moody's lesson had been … aggravating. It was a nice change to just be sat out in the grounds watching the hopefuls for the Hogwarts Quidditch Team try-outs, where it was at least a bit peaceful.

Harry had thought he was used to the whispering and judgment from his fellow students after second year and the 'Heir of Slytherin' rubbish. It would appear he was wrong.

Apparently his slip up in the first Defence Against the Dark Arts class was the talk of the school. Harry Potter was starting another feud with a teacher and now it was with a cool one! How very dare he?! It somehow got missed out that the sadistic bastard had been mentally scarring Neville, a boy most of the school liked.

Harry hadn't felt better after he'd nearly shouted himself hoarse when he and Moody were alone either. It had only left him with more questions.

Moody hadn't shouted back, he'd just sat back and taken it. That was okay, Moody had faced down Dark wizards and creatures regularly as an Auror, a pissed off fourteen year old schoolboy was nothing to him.

What bothered him though was that Moody didn't even send him a warning hex to remind him who exactly Harry was talking to. Moody was a proud man, he would never let some 'snot-nosed little punk' get away with shouting at him without _some _kind of retribution. Hell he didn't even let James get away with mouthing off and James hadn't been Moody's protégée for years.

Then there was the fact that Moody hadn't called him by his first name once. Just Potter. That hadn't happened for ages. Using Potter at home was somewhat redundant, and very confusing, unless you wanted both Harry and James to respond. Something that had led to a very annoying, yet very funny, first meeting with the ex-Auror.

So Moody had just called him Harry from then on.

So why had he changed now?

Harry had tried to rationalise it. Without James around there was only one Potter so it was clear who Moody was talking to. Or maybe he was just sticking to the cover, that he didn't know Harry outside of school except as James' son, at all times. It would explain why he got angry when Harry continued to call him by his first name.

'The walls have ears boy!' Moody's speech from the summer reverberated around his head. 'Dumbledore will become remarkably curious as to why you're calling your professor Alastor and we don't want that.'

But still, something was off.

Moody was a harsh teacher, Harry had scars to prove it, but the Unforgivables lesson was brutal. It was even worse than the one Harry had been subjected to early on into their training. And Moody appeared to be a lot more at ease casting the Unforgivables in class then Harry would ever have expected having heard about Moody's absolute hatred for anyone who ever used them. It was bothering Harry to no end.

Harry looked over at Neville who was sat watching the try-outs with interest, hissing as one of the Gryffindors trying out for the Keeper fumbled a save and let in a goal but he clapped supportively regardless.

The week had been much kinder to Neville thankfully.

The boy hadn't spoken to anyone for the rest of the week. It had worried Hermione to death when he wouldn't talk to her. But he'd been called into Moody's office during dinner on the Saturday and come back looking sombre but far less distant.

He'd been steadily returning to his old self and by the time they were in Herbology first thing on Monday morning he was chatting away like nothing had even happened.

'Hey Nev,' Harry said suddenly, making the other boy start a little. 'What exactly happened when you went to see Moody again?'

Neville rolled his eyes at his friend and turned back to watch as Alicia Spinnet lined up to take a shot at the same Keeper. 'Honestly Harry, I told you already. We had tea, he gave me an interesting book on underwater plants and asked how I was. That's it.'

Spinnet scored and tried her best not to look too pleased as her fellow Gryffindor went after the Quaffle looking decidedly annoyed. Harry didn't blame him, his chances didn't look good for the opening Keeper slot.

'You're sure? He didn't seem weird to you at all?' Harry asked.

Neville didn't take his eyes off the hopefuls this time. 'Look Harry, I know you're angry at him for that … display.' Neville struggled a little but forced his way through. 'But he's apologised and explained why he had to do it. Let it go.'

Harry mulled over what to say next as the two watched the Seekers start their trial runs, Cho Chang, a pretty Chinese girl from Ravenclaw was first off.

She hung close to her broom as she went into an almost perfect dive and recovery. She moved gracefully on her broom like she was dancing with it.

'Gotta admit Harry,' Neville said, his cheeks reddened a little bit. 'You have a point about Chang, she's definitely nimble.'

Harry chuckled and bumped the boy on the shoulder with his fist. 'I can set you up if you want mate, you know me and her got pretty chummy last year.' Harry waggled his eyebrows at the sandy blond and Neville just went redder.

'Thanks Harry but I suspect you're overestimating how close you really got if the gossip around the school is to be believed.' Neville said knowingly with a slight smirk. 'She's apparently been with Cedric Diggory since before summer break.'

Harry grunted appreciatively. 'Chang's with Diggory huh?'

'Apparently.'

Cedric Diggory was a sixth year Hufflepuff, Quidditch Captain, Seeker, Prefect and apparently Hogwarts' Triwizard Champion if the tall boy had his way. He wasn't amongst the Seekers trying out for the School Team at the very least.

Harry could think of worse people to represent the school. Cedric was good with a wand, like a bird in flight on his broom and a good looking bloke. The girls wanted him and a lot of the guys wanted to be him. And now he'd supposedly snagged one of the hottest girls in the school.

'Lucky bastard,' Harry said with a laugh. 'Where did you hear about that anyway Nev?'

Neville pulled at his collar a little and his cheeks flushed as he stared intently as Ginny Weasley started her trial run for Seeker. 'You know, just through the grapevine.'

Harry's jaw dropped as he followed his friend's gaze to the youngest Weasley.

'No way,' Harry said aghast. 'Come on Nev not the Weaslette surely? You can do better than that!'

Neville's head snapped back to Harry and then to Ginny and he shook his head violently. 'Oh hell no!' He said quickly. 'No, no, no. Someone else.'

'Thank Merlin,' Harry said, his eyes still wide. 'You worried me there mate, I thought you'd learnt your lesson when we went to France and that girl came after you to get to me.'

Neville looked disgruntled but he'd stopped blushing. 'Don't remind me Potter.'

They sat in silence for a little while, Harry tapped his fingers against the wooden bench impatiently. They watched another three Seeker wannabes go for the position, including Malfoy much to their amusement, before Harry snapped.

'So who was it?' Harry blurted out.

'Who was what?' Neville asked bemusedly.

Harry frowned at him. 'The girl who's keeping you up to speed on the gossip in between, what I hope are, steamy sessions in broom closets and, knowing you, greenhouses.' Harry winked at him. 'I am so proud of you by the way.'

Neville rolled his eyes but his cheeks were pink all over again. 'You know for someone who's supposed to be going after girls you're more focused on my love life than your own. What's the matter Potter? Mrs Potter finally get you to break down and jump her?'

Harry didn't react and instead grinned wildly. 'So there is a girl! Who? Who? Who?!'

'Shut up Harry!'

'Not until you tell me,' Harry said brightly. 'It's not Hermione, I wouldn't see you if it was.'

Neville punched Harry in the arm, hard.

Harry rubbed his arm with a frown. 'So, not Hermione, not Ginny.' He tapped his chin as he thought. 'I'm thinking it's someone in our year. Now is it a Puff, a Claw, a Lion or most interestingly a Snake?'

Neville shook his head and turned back to focus on the Quidditch Trials. 'I'm not telling you Harry.'

'Yeah like that'll stop me,' Harry scoffed. 'Well I reckon it's gonna be someone who likes Herbology, someone you have similar classes with. So either Susan Bones, Fay Dunbar, Sue Li or …' Harry watched Neville carefully as he finished listing names, his own smirk growing. 'The lovely Hannah Abbott.'

Neville flinched and stared avidly upwards. 'Don't know what you're talking about.'

'Ha!' Harry shouted exuberantly. 'It is Hannah! I freaking knew it.'

'Harry,' Neville said pleadingly. 'It's not what you think. She's just a friend.'

'Bollocks.' Harry crossed his arms and leant back in the grass with a victorious smirk. 'That girl has been after you since second year and it shouldn't have taken you this long to make a move.'

Ginny came up to her Seeker trial and started well. Not as well as Cho though. Her dives were great but her recoveries weren't as clean as the older girl's. Give the redhead another couple years she'd be just as good as Cho but not now. She seemed to know it as well. The second part of Ginny's trial was lacklustre at best.

Harry was pulled away from watching the girl by Neville's voice.

'Promise not to tell anyone? Especially Hermione?'

'Yes!' Harry crowed. 'Spill Longbottom.'

Neville sighed ran a hand over his flushed face.

Harry felt a little guilty about his pestering Neville about Hannah. But it was all he could really do to cheer his friend up. Despite what Neville said he had always enjoyed when Harry went on about the fairer sex. It always made him smile, even if he was blushing a rather amusing shade of pink, like he was right now.

'Well she …'

'Hannah?'

'Yes Hannah,' Neville hissed. 'Merlin Potter, don't interrupt me or I won't tell you anything.'

Harry smiled and moved his fingers over his closed lips like a zip and mimed throwing away a key.

Neville looked skywards and then carried on. 'Hannah heard about what happened in Moody's class and found me in one of the greenhouses on Saturday, we talked and she was great, didn't ask why I nearly ripped a table apart.' Neville chuckled lightly. 'And we started talking about you. Seems to be the main conversation point with most of the girls I talk to nowadays by the way.' Neville shot the other boy a half-annoyed half-amused look.

Harry shrugged nonchalantly. 'Can you blame them? I'm sexy.'

Neville snorted. 'Yeah right. Anyway, Hannah started talking about you and I waited for her to start asking what kind of girls you liked and if you were with anyone. What the whole Daphne thing was. It didn't come.' Neville laughed and smiled. 'She sat there quietly and just when it was getting a little awkward she said 'Oh sod it,' and kissed me.'

Harry cheered and fell backwards. 'Yes Nev! I have two questions.'

Neville looked at him warily but gestured for him to continue.

'Good stuff. First one,' Harry wiggled his eyebrows. 'Where?'

Neville looked confused. 'Do you mean where we were? Cus I said we were in the greenhouse – oh.' Realisation hit Neville in the form of bright pink cheeks and looking anywhere but his smirking friend.

'Don't leave me hanging here Nev,' Harry teased. 'Where?'

'Pervert,' Neville muttered. 'The lips.'

'Okay, not ideal but hey, she'll learn.' Harry chuckled lewdly. 'Tongue?'

Neville, who was still recovering, missed Harry pause and reach into his back pocket and take out a neatly folded piece of parchment.

'Can I smell lavender?' Neville asked in his desperation to get away from the conversation. 'Where'd the note end up this time?'

'Back pocket of my jeans again,' Harry said without opening the note. 'Guess she didn't mind me falling out with Moody as much as I thought.'

'Cus she's magic-groping you again?' Neville chuckled. 'I love that she does that to you more than you do to her by the way.'

Harry sighed, pointedly ignoring his friend, and opened the note. 'Oh fuck,' he groaned.

'What's the matter?' Neville asked, now actually concerned. Daphne rarely sent Harry bad news through her notes. 'She still mad at you?'

'No,' Harry rested his head in his right hand and massaged his temples with his thumb and forefinger. 'I've gotta go talk to Dumbledore about Moody. I've been expecting this.'

'Ouch. I'll make your apologies to the girls for not being able to attend the team selection matches and debates.' Neville said and stood up. He swiped at the grass that had stuck to the back of his robes and knees. He offered his hand to Harry. 'But you know what I don't get?

Harry took the proffered hand by the wrist and lifted himself to his feet. 'What?'

'Why is he summoning you through Daphne?'

Harry scowled at his grinning friend. 'You do remember who my first visitor in the Hospital Wing was after the Chamber of Secrets?'

The two boys started walking back to the castle while Neville nodded. 'Of course, Daphne as per usual. She was so pissed with you.'

That she had been. The girl could really slap as well. His face still throbbed with phantom pain whenever she was angry with him.

'Well Dumbledore had apparently been in the room keeping an eye on me after the bit with Malfoy. He saw the whole thing.'

Neville chuckled as they reached the path to the Entrance Hall. 'So, does he call Daphne Mrs Potter too?'

'Fuck off Nev.'

Neville chuckled all the way to the Great Hall.

* * *

The Auror Office was deceptively quiet as James walked through the double door entrance, pushing both doors open.

Cubicles took up most of the huge room. Two desks, standing back to back, to each cubicle, filing cabinets, maps, newspaper clippings from Wizard and Muggle papers and photos of the Death Eaters in Azkaban, and in a few of the more sceptical Aurors' cubicles there were the suspected but not proven Death Eaters.

Lucius Malfoy smirked at him as James passed one such cubicle.

Other than that though, there was very little to differentiate between the desks. Very few Aurors kept personal items in the Auror Office. It was strongly advised against as Aurors dealt with some of the most dangerous criminals in Britain. Merlin only knew what could happen if someone wanted revenge and found a picture of someone's family.

It did also help that most Aurors didn't have much of a home life in the first place.

The job attracted oddballs. Not dangerous weird, well not normally, but it took a special something to put up with the crap Aurors dealt with on a daily basis. There was only a certain amount of dead, mangled, mutilated or defiled bodies you could put up with before something just went wrong in your head. So if you weren't odd when you started as an Auror, you'd be cracked eventually.

It's why they had a Hospital Wing, with a team of fully qualified psychiatrists at the Auror Barracks, which were stationed in the middle of Staffordshire hidden as an old air base from the Muggle war decades ago, where most of the new recruits lived and teams prepped before missions. James hadn't had to go yet, there had been a near miss with an American cult leader once but he'd just dodged the Hospital Wing, but he knew Moody had spent a couple weeks out of a year in the Auror Barracks recuperating when he was in active duty.

Around the sides of the Auror Office there were actual offices. These were mostly held by higher ranking Aurors and a few veterans who had never risen in the hierarchy but had earned a little privacy.

Amelia Bones held the biggest office here as the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, of course. Smack-dab at the back of the room so you had to walk past all the cubicles, something James thought was done on purpose, so anybody who came in looking for the Head had to go through their Aurors first, who were famed for being very loyal to their boss. Few had the balls to do that. Fudge hadn't dared yet.

But Amelia didn't spend a lot of time in her Auror office, she'd said to him she spent enough time with the 'psychos' for a lifetime and set up shop with the more sane, less well trained, contracted Hit-Wizards and the Enforcers who dealt with the more day-to-day crimes. It'd be mad to send an Auror after a pickpocket after all.

The second biggest office was that of Rufus Scrimgeour, The Head of The Auror Office. The man looked like an ageing, but still fierce, lion with his mane of metal grey hair. He'd been in the position for most of James' career but everyone knew he was angling for Amelia's job.

James relaxed a little as he passed Scrimgeour's shut and locked office, he didn't need more shit from the man. James wasn't quite as lucky with Scrimgeour's right hand.

Gawain Robards, unofficial Assistant Head of the Auror Office and James' personal nemesis, was waiting in James' office.

His office was one of the few with personal touches. He'd had it for about a year, it was a reward for becoming an instructor for the new recruits. On his standard issue desk there were the few photos he'd decided to bring in. Harry was in all of them.

'Potter,' Robards grunted from his place leant against the rear wall of the office, his arms crossed across his broad chest. 'What's got you in so early?'

James had no real problem with the large Welshman, he was a competent Auror and much better at dealing with the politicians than most of the Aurors in the office, but he didn't approve of some of his methods. Also Robards had somehow come to the conclusion James was out to get him. James had the distinct impression it was Scrimgeour's doing.

James' boss didn't like how close he was to Amelia and Moody, it apparently gave James more sway in the office than he deserved. Apparently his years of service, superb magical skill and hard work meant he was a malcontent. Well like mentor like student he supposed.

It probably didn't help that Becky Fowler, a pretty Auror recruit who Robards rather fancied, was infatuated with James and took every chance to work with him. Passing up all of Robards offers to become his apprentice in hopes James would offer.

He really didn't need this today, he was supposed to be meeting Arthur Weasley about Moody's false alarm the night before term started. Harry's last mirror-call had left him with questions about his old mentor's behaviour that were bothering him to no end.

'Good morning to you too Gawain,' James said with fake-cheer. 'How did you get into my office? I was rather sure I'd locked it.'

Robards didn't even flinch. 'Dunno, the door was open when I got here.'

'I bet.'

James walked around his desk and pulled out his chair. He smiled at the grinning faces of Harry and Neville, as little kids, who were covered head to toe in yellow gloop.

He propped his feet up on his desk and steepled his fingers over his lap, slipping his wand into his palm just in case, Robards had a temper and James wouldn't be caught out if the big man decided to be as stupid as his jealousy was and go for his wand.

'Now what can I do for you?' James asked. He made a point to look over his glasses at the still standing man. It was difficult, Robards was very tall.

'Why are you here?' Robards asked.

'It _is _my office Gawain,' James replied. He shrugged his shoulders. 'I actually should be in here.'

'You know what I mean! Stop being smart and tell me what you're doing here so early!' Robards snapped and took a step forwards with his fists clenched. 'You're not on until the afternoon. You trying to suck up to Bones by putting in as many hours as possible or something? I'm on to you Potter!'

James frowned. 'No.'

'What do you mean no? Tell me!' Robards snarled.

James didn't answer, he just watched the other man's cheeks start to glow red and his eyes get narrower and narrower as he approached James desk.

Robards slammed his palms down on James's desk, making James very glad the desk was enchanted to be unbreakable. He'd hate to have to explain the replacement of it. James took his feet off his desk and stared back at Robards.

'Tell me why you're right now Potter or I'll –'

'Or what Gawain? Go for your wand? Deck me?' James interrupted, his voice cold as ice. 'Try it. I don't have to tell you jack shit, I report to Amelia and Scrimgeour not you.'

'You should show me the proper respect Potter,' Robards hissed, his clenched fists had gone white. 'When Bones leaves Rufus will take her job and you won't stop me from being the next Head. Then you're out of here.'

'Really?' James gave the other man his best Snape impression. 'I sincerely doubt that Gawain. This office would fall apart if you were left to lead it without good old Rufus pulling your strings.'

Robards seethed at the edge of his desk and dived into his robes for his wand but James was faster.

In the time it took Gawain to get his wand out James was out of his chair round his desk and pressing the tip of his wand into the other man's neck.

Robards straightened up immediately and raised his arms up in submission. 'Whoa Potter! Whoa!'

James' mouth was a line and his eyes were like blocks of cold hazel stone. 'Don't push me Gawain, I would happily hex you through that wall.' James motioned to the wall Robards had been standing against with a nod of his head. 'I am not one of the new recruits who you scare with your size and ridiculous shouting. Back off and don't bother me again.'

Robards looked as mutinous as he could with a wand at his throat but he nodded.

'Good.' James took his wand back and walked back to his desk, pulling up his chair where it had tipped backwards when James had stood. 'Now get out and don't break into my office again.'

Robards stomped out of the room nearly knocking Arthur Weasley over in his rage.

'Sorry Gawain,' Arthur said with a smile. 'Didn't see you there.'

'S'fine,' the big man muttered.

Arthur wiped at his receding hairline. 'Sorry for the delay James, Molly insisted on making me breakfast. She's always worse when the kids are at Hogwarts.' Arthur apologised.

James breathed deeply, his wand slipping back into his wrist holder, and sat back down in his chair with a half-smile. 'It's alright Arthur, I understand trust me. Sirius goes spare when Harry goes to Hogwarts.'

James waved his wand and conjured a plush chair on the other side of his desk.

'I can imagine.' Arthur sat down with a dip of the head. 'Now, you were very secretive with what you wanted to talk to me about? I do hope it has nothing to do with Gawain's temper?' Arthur looked suddenly cautious.

James shook his head placating. 'No not at all, little bit of office politics that's all.'

Arthur nodded sagely. 'Had my fair share James, so glad no one bothers me with it anymore. Now what can I do to help?'

'Well I wanted to talk to you about that false alarm with Moody the night before the kids went off to Hogwarts,' James said. 'You were the one to help sort that out with the Muggle policemen right?'

Arthur looked generally perplexed but nodded. 'Yes, well it's Moody, I wanted to make sure somebody with an axe to grind didn't take down a war hero for some exploding bins.'

James looked pensive. Moody didn't have exploding bins as far as he knew. He was mad, yes but that would just be foolish. The police would be on him for bombs if they ever went off. Moody wasn't stupid, just crazy.

'It was definitely exploding bins?'

Arthur nodded enthusiastically. 'Definitely. He'd used a light bombarda ward, as a burglar alarm would be my guess, and planted it on each bin.'

Okay,' James said slowly. 'How'd he seem when you came to him Arthur?'

Arthur frowned and thought for a moment.

'Paranoid as ever but a little rattled. I think he was certain something was in his garden and he was anxious to be back inside his house. He was downward aggressive with the please-men as well, the men nearly arrested him for 'disturbing the peace' whatever that meant.' Arthur looked at his watch and looked out at the door. 'But it's all in the report I gave in if you want to double check anything.'

'Hmm,' James muttered. 'That's alright Arthur, I checked it last night.'

'Did you?' Arthur shook his head. 'Well I don't know why you called me in then James.'

'Wanted to get it from you directly as well,' James said apologetically. 'And I didn't think you'd appreciate me coming into your office in uniform.'

'True,' Arthur chuckled. He took off his glasses and wiped them on his robes. 'I appreciate the forethought. Well if that's all?'

Arthur stood and James hurried to join him.

'Yes thank you Arthur sorry to bother you, it's probably just me being overly cautious because it's Moody.' James laughed weakly. 'He rubs off on you after a while.'

Arthur held out his hand and the two men shook. 'It's quite alright James, if there's anything else I can do.'

'Yeah,' James said. 'Course. Say hello to Molly.'

Arthur nodded and walked out of the office.

James could just sense something off about this. He didn't for a second think Arthur was lying to him, the man was the most honest person he'd ever known and his report backed him up, but something didn't add up. Moody had dealt with the Muggle law enforcement for nearly four decades and he wasn't as paranoid as the paper had made him out to be. He certainly wasn't stupid enough to leave wards and enchanted objects around his house in a mostly Muggle neighbourhood.

He'd been sceptical when Harry had mirror-called him the night after his first class with Alastor. Moody had just been settling in, he'd be a bit skittish at having to teach so many kids at once, he only just managed Harry, but the entire debacle of Harry's class had James worried.

Alastor wasn't answering floo-calls either. That wasn't too weird, the ex-Auror took exception to sticking his head through a fireplace, he thought it cut down on his ability to be 'constantly vigilant'.

If James could just talk to him he'd be fine. Moody was like family, he'd talk to James if he needed something. James had been a bit annoyed Moody hadn't told him about his attempted break-in and as Moody wasn't answering his fire or anything else James tried. He was running out of options.

He sat down in his chair and pulled out Arthur's file from one of the many desk drawer with a frown. He flipped it open and stared down at it. 'What's going on Alastor? What's got you so wound up?'

If he didn't get to talk to Moody soon he was going to find an excuse to go up to Hogwarts and drag the answers out of him anyway he had to.

* * *

Harry cleared his throat, shook his hands like he was trying to dry them off and rolled his shoulders before he knocked on Professor Dumbledore's office door.

He ignored the distinct sound of sniggering coming from the Sorting Hat's shelf just outside the office.

'I _will _set you on fire,' Harry muttered out of the side of his mouth.

The sniggering didn't stop and Harry scowled before wiping at the sweat building on his brow.

It wasn't that he was scared of the Headmaster or anything, he'd just walked as fast as humanly possible from the grounds to the top floor and naturally built up a sweat. He was meeting with Albus freaking Dumbledore though, so it wasn't like he was dealing with someone who couldn't back up their bark with some serious bite like Snape. Besides being prepared never hurt anybody.

'Enter Harry,' Dumbledore's voice came through the door. 'And do try not to set the Hat on fire, it's rather old and fear I couldn't replace it.'

Harry groaned and entered Dumbledore's office for the third time in his school life.

'Hello Professor, I got your note.'

Dumbledore smiled at him warmly. 'I'm glad to see I was right to rely on Miss Greengrass. That is a truly wonderful little charm you two have developed, I hope you don't mind me making use of it?'

Harry shrugged and instead of answering looked for differences in the office. There weren't many.

The walls were still lined with portraits of former Headmasters and Headmistresses, pretending to snooze and then shooting him 'covert' looks, Dumbledore's usual array of truly odd magical devices and curiosities and then there was his phoenix.

Fawkes the phoenix trilled from her perch merrily as Harry smiled at her and approached Dumbledore's desk to pet her.

'Hello mate,' Harry muttered as he stroked his plumage. 'It's nice to see you again too.'

Dumbledore watched him curiously but didn't say anything.

Harry laughed weakly and stepped away from the firebird. 'Sorry Professor, couldn't help myself.'

Dumbledore chuckled as well but held up his hands. 'Quite alright my boy, Fawkes has that effect on most people, though few are so brave as to act on it. You truly are a Gryffindor's Gryffindor. Might I suggest you put aside some of your newly attained free time on studying magical creatures?'

Of course Dumbledore had heard McGonagall had relented. Dumbledore probably had a copy of Harry's study plans for the year that he'd given McGonagall days after their meeting.

'Yes sir.' Harry nodded and sat down in the empty chair opposite Dumbledore's desk. 'Thank you, sir.'

'Lemon drop?' Dumbledore offered, he took the lid off the small dish on his desk.

'Er no, thank you,' Harry said as he sat further back into the chair, a cushiony brown armchair. 'Daphne's note said you wanted to talk?'

'That I do.' The older man smiled wistfully. 'I forget how different you are to your father sometimes Harry. You must forgive an old man for expecting you to act the same.'

'How do you mean sir?'

'Well,' Dumbledore started with a flourish of his hands to gesture to his office. 'Whenever your father and his friends were called into this office they were a lot more rambunctious than you are being now. I was even treated to the occasional prank. Strictly in good fun Harry, don't worry,' Dumbledore added as Harry's face whitened. 'You are much calmer, almost resolute, whenever you walk through that door, however last time you were dripping in muck, blood, holding a sword in one hand and clutching young Miss Weasley in the other so maybe it was just that time.'

Harry blushed at Dumbledore's memory of their second meeting. 'Yes sir, I think it might have been that. I just know what you wanted me here for is all.'

Dumbledore nodded and peaked his hands together. 'And you probably also know why I felt the need to talk to you myself instead of just putting you through the chewing out Professor Moody gave you.'

Harry flinched. So he had been right, great. He'd suspected as much of course but you never fully knew what the eccentric man wanted to talk to you for.

'I am sorry for my outburst towards Professor Moody sir, it won't happen again.'

Dumbledore nodded expectantly. 'I'm sure it won't Harry, but don't fret. I do know why you reacted the way you did. It would seem I hadn't fully accounted for the effect the sight of the Unforgivable that took both of his parents would have on young Mr Longbottom. Or the one that took your mother and for that I am deeply sorry.'

Harry pulled out his poker face and nodded ever so slightly. Dumbledore couldn't be allowed to find out that Moody had already shown him The Unforgivables, it wouldn't end well. Best to just play the angry, traumatised teenager for this bit.

'S'fine Professor,' Harry muttered, his eyes focused on Fawkes. 'Have to know what we're up against.'

'Indeed.' Cerulean blue eyes bore into Harry. 'A very healthy approach to have Harry. These curses are horrible things but they are unfortunately common when one is dealing with Lord Voldemort and his followers.'

Harry never got over how easily Dumbledore said Voldemort's name. In a world where that name was akin to swearing anyone who said it as casually as Dumbledore did was refreshing.

Though Harry did wonder why Dumbledore didn't just call him by his actual name. Voldemort had revealed it to Harry in his second year so it wasn't like Harry wouldn't know who Dumbledore was referring to. Maybe the old man had pleasant memories of Tom Riddle and didn't want to sully them with the monster that was Lord Voldemort?

'Well if that's all Professor?' Harry went to stand only to be stopped.

'I'm afraid I need you a little longer Harry,' Dumbledore said. 'I am sure your friends will forgive you for missing their try outs.'

'Of course you do,' Harry muttered under his breath. He sighed and flopped back in the chair. 'But don't blame me if you get an angry note from the missus sir.' Harry tried for humour but he didn't think he got past desperation.

'The manner may be different between you and James,' Dumbledore said with a laugh. 'But the jokes appear to be the same. Your father used to try and use your mother as an excuse to leave early as well. Lily had a temper that rivals Miss Greengrass' I assure you Harry. I shall brave it though.'

Harry grimaced. 'Yes I'd heard Mum could really yell.'

'That she could.' Dumbledore face turned solemn. 'But I fear we must talk seriously for a while Harry. Then you can appease your fairer half for your absence at her try out.'

Harry sat up in his chair and stared at the Headmaster's face, making a point to not look in his eyes. He trusted Dumbledore but his Occlumency was piss poor and Dumbledore would rip it apart and all his secrets would be gone. That couldn't happen.

'How long have you been studying duelling technique under Alastor?'

Fuck. So much for secrets then.

'Sir I don't know …' Harry tried.

'Harry. I read the European newspapers.'

Dumbledore's tone told him he wasn't interested in his attempts at lying. Well if Dumbledore thought he'd rumbled Harry he wouldn't be expecting a half-truth now would he?

Harry sighed and put his head in his hands and breathed out. 'Not long. Dad suggested Moody train me up and take me to the European Amateur Duelling Tournament, see if I couldn't put my skills to the test after all the crap with Pettigrew last year. So the beginning of the summer holidays maybe?'

Dumbledore didn't push but Harry didn't think he fully believed him. He must know there was more to it. His beard twitched as though Harry had said something funny.

'You'd call the Amateur Duelling circuit a test?'

Harry shrugged. 'Well I didn't win did I? Moody said I had a-ways to go before I'll manage that.'

He was still annoyed he hadn't won actually, sneaky French bastard had got him with a lucky Cutting Curse. Harry had him on the ropes before that damn it! Moody hadn't let that freaking go either. He'd spent the rest of their training time over the summer dodging unexpected spells. It'd been knackering.

'No you didn't,' Dumbledore said peaceably. 'However a runner-up position in your first tournament is very impressive, your training has definitely paid off for such a short amount of time.'

Harry averted his eyes and nodded. 'What can I say? I'm a quick study.'

'It does surprise me that you haven't tried for a place on the Duelling team though Harry. You could definitely help the team.' Dumbledore half-smiled. 'Or the Quidditch. Taking an easy year for a change Harry?'

Harry laughed bitterly. 'You could say that sir, yes. I thought maybe fourth year would be the year I could just relax and not worry who or what was trying to kill me this time.'

'Yes, sorry I may have disrupted that plan a little mightn't I?' Dumbledore was smiling fully this time. 'You have my apologies.'

'That's okay sir,' Harry said with a grin despite himself. Wasn't he supposed to be worried that Dumbledore would come crashing in on his training and choose his own regimen for him? 'How could you have known?'

Dumbledore laughed merrily and rested back in his chair. 'Well at least I have my suspicions confirmed. That is all Harry, you may go and join your friends now. Pass on my apologies to your other half.'

Harry resisted the urge to roll his eyes. The Headmaster was letting him go, he'd allow the old man his little joke and get away before he asked more questions.

'Thank you sir, I'll make sure to do just that.'

Dumbledore hummed and smiled at Harry as stood and walked to the door.

'Oh and Harry, do keep an eye on that temper of yours',' Dumbledore said. Harry paused with his hand on the door handle. 'Alastor hasn't quite been himself recently, I'm not sure if he'll react the same as you expect.'

Harry paused and raised an eyebrow at the elderly man behind the desk. 'Sir?'

Dumbledore didn't say anything he just turned to talk to one of the previous Headmasters.

Surely the Headmaster didn't think Moody would come after him for mouthing off? He wouldn't have let Moody teach if he was that dangerous. Or was the old wizard trying to give him a subtle clue about what was off with Moody? Dumbledore and Moody were friends after all. Maybe Dumbledore thought something was off about him as well?

Harry had a very bad feeling about his next lesson with the retired Auror. But short of outright confronting the man there wasn't a fat lot Harry could do. Other than traumatising a couple of teenagers and acting weird, at least for Moody, the new Defence professor hadn't done anything overtly wrong.

Harry's best bet was just to play it by ear. Moody would either settle down and forget what had happened or carry on acting like he'd really lost his mind and Dumbledore would hopefully step in.

The Triwizard Tournament might actually be a welcome distraction after all instead of the nightmare he was expecting. Merlin he hoped so.

Harry frowned and left the office, Dumbledore's parting words ringing in his head.


	8. Hey Look! Foreigners!

**Chapter Eight: Hey Look! Foreigners!**

Late October in Scotland was not the sort of place or time of the year where you stood in the horrible, biting cold instead of inside the nice, warm castle. Regardless of who you were waiting for.

Manners and appearances be damned, it wouldn't look good if your entire student populace resembled icicles when the, most likely unappreciative, Europeans finally decided to fucking show up now would it?

Harry would admit he was losing his temper, and it had only been ten minutes, but he'd never put much stock in the pomp and ceremony wizards liked to put in their big events. Why they couldn't do their fancy self-important bollocks inside was completely beyond him.

But it wasn't up to him and so he found himself stood outside on a cold Scottish October night waiting for the other schools to show up, desperately trying not to think of the gorgeous food the house-elves would be preparing for the feast.

'Where the hell are these bastards?' Harry groused to Neville, who was stood in front of him. 'It's been ten minutes already!'

Neville rubbed his hands together and blew on them. 'Don't know mate, wish they'd hurry up though, my fingers are freezing.'

'Personally I'm more worried about another extremity if you know what I mean Nev,' Harry muttered with a chuckle despite himself.

'Harry Potter!' Hermione whacked him round the back of the head, her face a little red. 'We don't need to know about … that.'

Harry looked back at Hermione wolfishly and was about to say something when a high-pitched voice shouted from somewhere in the Hogwarts crowd.

'Hey look! What's that in the sky?'

Harry's vision automatically shot upwards. He could just about make out a faint shape of something moving closer across the sky. He was surprised the boy, at least he thought it was a boy, had seen it. He could barely make it out and he'd been looking for small objects in the sky since he started helping Ginny with her Seeker practice last year.

Honestly, who'd want to spend their match looking for a tiny golden ball in mini-hurricanes and torrential rain? Sheer madness.

As the shape got ever close Harry could make out two gigantic winged horses and what looked like a carriage being pulled behind them.

'Hark, I think I spot the French coming cap'n,' Harry said in his best pirate impersonation.

His friends ignored him and, not for the first time since they'd stepped out of the castle tonight, Harry wished Daphne and Tracey were here with them as well, or even Sirius. They'd have laughed. Sirius would have joined in.

Harry finally recognised the breed of the horses as they, and the ridiculously ornate carriage, came down fast on the makeshift landing strip that Hagrid had laid out, making the large man dive out of the way, as they landed with effortless grace.

They were a distinctly French breed. They had perfectly maintained palomino coats and were as big as two men. Their wings had one hell of a span and they could outrace most of the racing brooms on the market when they got to full speed. They were Abraxan flying horses from the south of France if Harry remembered rightly.

Daphne had an obsession with them when she was younger so Harry, being the good friend he was, had been dragged along to every horse related event Daphne had heard of, just in case there were some Abraxans knocking about. In the end they'd even gone over to France to find the damn things. Harry still didn't know how he'd been suckered into that. He was eight at the time though, maybe that was it?

It did, however, mean he didn't need to look for the Beauxbaton's crest, two wands crossed over each other with three sparks coming out of the tips, to know if the students on board were French or not. Big frilly golden horses were a bit of a giveaway.

'Told you it was the French,' Harry whispered. Dodging the look he got from McGonagall. 'Nobody else would fly from the continent in a giant blue carriage. Have they never heard of the Statute of Secrecy?'

Neville shushed him as he tried to see who was coming out of the carriage, even going as far to stand on his tiptoes to look over the taller students in front of them.

Harry tried to resist the urge to stare at the foreign students for as long as he could on principle. He didn't care how hot the French girls were, he'd still had to stand out in the cold for them and they had the nerve to show up late as well!

But in the end when he realised he was the only person who wasn't staring at the newcomers, like children did with shiny objects, he indulged his own curiosity and stared down the walkway that had been formed between the Hogwarts students.

The French girls were indeed hot. The brunette walking on one side of the massive Headmistress, who was talking avidly with Dumbledore about preparations for her horses if Harry was hearing right, was drop dead gorgeous. He'd consider an exchange program for a summer just for the sight of her long creamy legs in the school skirt that he prayed to Merlin was mandatory.

Then there was the blonde walking just a step behind the brunette who would have dropped him to the ground if she hadn't been wearing the most ridiculous pink ear muffs and several scarves while scowling at the ground like its' being wet somehow offended her.

Had the girl never heard about the rain in Britain or was she just living up to the French stereotype of being stuck up and prissy?

Oh well, who cared? The hot brunette was smiling in his direction, he didn't really give a shit about some moody blonde as long as her classmate kept looking at him like that.

Harry smiled back and the girl blushed prettily. Merlin bless the Potter smile where would he be without it?

He turned around to ask Hermione, who had followed him to inspect the French students, if she knew anything about student exchange programs only to find his bookish friend glaring blue murder at the same blonde Harry had been mentally berating.

He cocked an eyebrow and mouthed if she was alright. Hermione grunted, which caught him by surprise in itself, and nodded at Neville who couldn't tear his eyes off of the moody blonde.

'Oi Earth to Neville,' Harry muttered in his friend's ear. 'Come on mate, you're staring.'

'Wha?' Neville slurred without looking away from the blonde. 'Oh. But look at her mate, she's so beautiful.'

Harry didn't like the sound of Neville's dreamy tone and apparently neither did Hermione if her harrumph was anything to go by. Neville didn't get dreamy about much that didn't grow in the ground or sprout off a bush.

'If you like the moody bitch thing mate,' Harry said quickly. He could feel Hermione's glare on the back of his neck. 'But she looks like she'd be a right pain in the arse to deal with. Put her down for a wham bam thank you ma'am and come back to us before Hermione curses your balls off.'

Neville actually looked away from the girl this time to look at Harry with a truly perplexed expression. He turned to Hermione and flinched at her icy glare before she turned to listen to the Headmistress' conversation with Dumbledore. Harry tried not to laugh as he saw her teeth grinding beneath her tightly shut mouth. Somebody was jealous of the moody French girl it would seem.

'Erm, why do I get the feeling I've just done something very stupid that will cost me more than just you taking the piss out of me?' Neville whispered while he tried to catch Hermione's eye. 'Who was I staring at Harry?'

Harry did chuckle this time but shook his head. 'I'll point her out later mate, when we're a safe distance away from Hermione and the blonde's aura's reach.'

'Aura?'

Harry nodded and winked. 'I think that girl might have some Veela blood in her. Would explain why every bloke here suddenly can't not look at her and why every girl wants to rip her throat out.'

Neville frowned and as realisation finally hit he groaned into his hand. He stared after Hermione who was now trying her damnedest to look like she wasn't eavesdropping. Harry would have to teach her to be better at it. The girl was so obvious.

'Veela? Then were you staring too?' Neville asked desperately. 'And it's not just me 'Mione's pissed with?'

Hermione rolled her eyes and Harry chuckled again.

'No mate, I was looking at the brunette up front. I think I'm in there by the way.'

Now Neville looked really confused. 'But if the blonde was even part-Veela wouldn't you be looking at her as well? I mean some of the guys still are for Merlin's sake!'

Neville gestured at the awestruck and even drooling teenage boys around them. Ron Weasley was the worst he was drooling so much Ginny was elbowing him in the ribs only to be pushed away quite forcibly. It'd be funny if it wasn't so sad.

'Not sure, could be just cus I wasn't close enough,' Harry shrugged and then grinned. 'Or if the book I was reading, while you were wasting an afternoon with a Divination class, is correct it's because I'm too powerful for her allure to have any real power over me.'

There was also something in the text Harry had read on magical resistance that said wizards who loved someone 'so deeply and completely that there was no charm or glamour that could hold any sway over them'. Harry preferred to think it was the power thing. Made him sound more manly.

Besides he wasn't about to tell Neville about the love thing, the Mrs Potter jokes would just get even worse and he didn't really need that right now.

Neville let out a long-suffering sigh. 'So essentially you're saying you weren't staring at her like a moron because, magically speaking, you rock?'

'I want you to put that in writing so I can hang it in the dorm room Nev.' Harry grinned widely. 'Couldn't have put it better myself.'

'Arse,' Neville grumbled he ignored Harry and instead spoke to Hermione. 'Look Hermione I'm sorry for staring but it wasn't my fault it was her allure. Forgive me?'

Hermione, who was trying to fight a smile as she watched the French students enter the Great Hall, just shook her head. 'It's okay Neville. I read up on Veela after the World Cup and for once Harry's not embellishing to make himself look cool.'

'I don't have to embellish,' Harry said cheekily. 'I just kick arse naturally Hermione, you know that.'

'Whatever Harry,' Hermione smiled slightly at a relieved and irritated Neville. She pointed at the lake. 'But you might want to look at the lake. I think the Durmstrang students are making their entrance.'

The boys turned and sure enough the surface of the lake rippled and the tip of a mast was poking out of the water.

The mast broke free of the water and shot skywards, piercing the night like a sword. A flag with a snarling dragon in the middle danced proudly above a set of sails and an unmanned crow's nest.

The rest of the ship quickly followed. The first thing Harry spotted was the beautiful half naked woman with a fish' tail, her arms stretched out above her, carved into the wood emerged from the water, the very image of a mermaid from a Muggle fairy-tale, seashells and all.

The ship was beautiful, a little damaged here and there, but still damn impressive. Harry preferred the Durmstrang students' already. He could respect a good entrance when it was _that _cool.

This time he joined in with the eager students trying to catch the first glimpses of the people on the boat, doing his best to ignore Hermione's derisive snort at his intrigue. Hey these guys weren't French, so sue him if he was curious!

He choked when he saw the first man to reach the shores of the Black Lake. He'd recognise that from his father's and Moody's case notes on Death Eaters who'd gotten off from Azkaban sentences. He'd never forget that face. In all the excitement he'd completely forgotten he'd become Headmaster of Durmstrang.

Apparently so had Neville.

'Harry, isn't that Igor Karkaroff?' Neville hissed. 'What's he doing here?'

Hermione poked them both in the side so sharply Harry wouldn't be surprised if she'd used a poking jinx.

'Who's Igor Karkaroff?'

Harry felt sick as he watched Karkaroff embrace Dumbledore like an old friend. The balls on that Death Eater bastard! He was hugging the man who was his master's greatest opponent? Was he on something or just delusional?

'He's a Death Eater,' Harry snarled. 'He was pretty high up as well.'

Hermione's eyebrows shot into her bushy hair. 'But shouldn't he be in Azkaban then?'

Harry shook his head. 'No, slimy bastard named some names, got himself a pardon from Barty Crouch, one of the blokes behind this Tournament.' Harry ground his teeth and made a fist around his wand. He didn't know when he'd gone for it. He'd have to look into that. 'He tried to accuse Sirius of being a Death Eater like his brother Regulus.'

'What?' Hermione gasped. 'Sirius' brother was a Death Eater?'

Neville nodded and gave the shocked girl a warning look. 'Yeah, but we don't talk about it. But still Harry when the hell did that happen?'

Harry shrugged his left shoulder. 'Don't know, Moody did tell me. Guess he knew something would come up with good old Igor sometime soon. I think that might be the real reason Moody is here you know.'

'I think you're right.' Neville suddenly smiled when he looked over at the students landing on Hogwarts soil. 'But ignore him for a minute I think I've seen someone you'll be more interested in talking to.'

'Who Nev?' Harry bristled. As if somebody was more important than the Dark bastard who tried to get one of his family thrown in that hell hole of a prison. 'Who could possibly be that interesting?'

Hermione smiled as well. 'Look at the lake Harry. I think Neville might be right.'

Harry raised his eyebrows at his friends who only nodded towards the lake more earnestly.

He looked over tentatively and let out a bark of laughter.

'So who's telling Viktor Krum his Healer did an excellent job on fixing his nose?'

* * *

Tracey broke into a run as she heard spells being fired in the classroom she was supposed to meeting her friends in.

_'Diffindo!_' Daphne shouted from the room. 'Damn it Potter, stay still!'

She didn't hear Harry respond but when she reached the open door there was a grunt and the sounds of hurried missteps before a smack and a gasp.

Tracey smirked at the sight that greeted her as she rushed into the classroom/lab Harry had been given for his 'special classes'.

There were spellfire burns marring the stone walls and panelled floor but that wasn't the most interesting thing.

Harry, his hair a little messier than usual and his glasses missing, was pinning a panting Daphne against the wall by both of her wrists. There were tears in her lilac top and his blue jeans. Their faces were centimetres apart.

'I knew you two were getting it on behind our backs,' she said impishly. 'I'm impressed, doing it in the workplace Harry? Props.'

Harry groaned and released Daphne, who slid down the wall until she sat on the floor with her legs spread out in front of her.

'Hello Tracey, you're early.' Harry set to repairing his and Daphne's clothing with muttered words and flicks of his wand. His glasses came zooming from nowhere from one wand movement and Harry blinked his eyes once and put his glasses on. 'I was just helping Daphne with her duelling.'

Tracey entered the room proper and raised an eyebrow at the sweaty teen. 'Duelling huh? That the new word for it is it?'

'Duelling you mean?' Daphne chipped in between pants. 'Yeah that's the new word for it. Harry, pass me one of the bottles would you?'

Harry summoned two bottles of water from the nearby worktable and tossed one to Daphne who caught and promptly drained it.

'Thanks.'

Tracey chuckled and took a seat at one of the free worktables and took a proper look around the room.

She had to give Harry his due. When he'd heard about his plan to get a free period out of his timetable for his own studies she had no idea he was actually going to work. She'd expected him to spend the extra time sleeping or finding more and more interesting ways to kill time. It's what she'd have done that's for damn sure.

But Harry had gone all out in a way, she was ashamed to say, really surprised her.

The room had the same granite coloured walls that all of the classrooms and offices had on the outside walls of the castle. Harry had thrown up the odd diagram of duelling stances, which had to be from Moody, and a set of circular targets on the wall opposite the door. The floor was like one in a dance studio, long wooden panels stretched from the west wall to the east wall. Harry had what looked like one of those Muggle crash mats in the middle of the room but she couldn't be sure.

There were also several workstations laid out around the smaller than average classroom. It was only big enough for five students and a teacher. More a lab than a classroom actually. Ideal for a student doing a varied amount of independent study. She wouldn't be surprised if NEWT level students got a lab like this for their exams and coursework.

There were potions bubbling in small pewter cauldrons on desks on the side by the window. Tracey couldn't identify all of them but there were the odd ones she recognised like the one from a potions book in her family's library called Elixir of Strength. Snape had Harry all wrong after all. That was a tough potion to brew.

Then in the opposite corner there were several blackboards pushed out of the way with different Latin incantations written out across the surface with effects, and advised alterations that could only be from Harry's trial and error approach to learning, listed on the opposite side of the board.

A dummy had been put out in the middle of the room and had a couple of burn marks and cuts where stuffing leaked out.

'So who won?' Tracey asked from her stool. She couldn't keep looking at Harry's work anymore she was starting to question her work ethic.

'I'd think that was obvious.' Daphne scowled as she wiped at her mouth with her sleeve and stood from the floor with the wall's help.

Tracey shrugged and swivelled from side to side on her seat. 'Hey, for all I knew you could have won and Harry was just congratulating you with a quick snog. Had to ask.'

'Sure,' Harry said with a look to the ceiling. 'Had to.'

Daphne took a step away from the wall and winced with her whole body and grabbed at her left leg.

Harry was on her like a shot. He took her arm over his shoulder and helped her limp over to a seat by the desk with their robes over it. 'There you go Daph, take it easy yeah?'

Daphne gripped his arm and smiled when she was sat down. 'Thanks, but I'm alright.'

Harry shook his head, his frown etched into his face. 'You should've called it quits when I turned the duel physical, I could have really hurt you. Daft girl.'

Daphne patted him on the cheek, ignoring the Cheshire cat impression Tracey was doing from behind Harry's back, and laughed ruefully as she rubbed her thigh through her practice shorts.

'Maybe, but next time I won't be caught off-guard and it'll make me better for the tournament yes?' She poked him in the chest. 'But the duels are strictly magic-only remember? That means non-physical darling. Do keep that in mind next practice.'

Harry made a noise of assent and went to checking Daphne for more injuries, much to the girls' amusement.

'Physical eh?' Tracey catcalled from her swivelling stool. 'I knew it! Is that how you like it Harry? Rough?'

Harry glared at Tracey but she was undeterred by her friend.

'Though I'm surprised at you Daphne.' Daphne rolled her eyes at her friend but couldn't stop the half-smile at the Harry's growing blush. Poor boy was far too easy to wind up. 'I never would have taken you for the submissive type. I'm almost disappointed.'

Harry turned to properly rant at Tracey, his cheeks practically throbbing with heat, but was stopped as Daphne tugged him back with both hands on his arm. 'Oh do calm down Harry, she's winding you up. Go fix the dummy, it looks worse than me.'

Tracey grinned wider as Harry shot her one last glare and stomped over to the damaged dummy and set to repairing it. She jumped to her feet and almost danced her way over to the empty seat by Daphne.

'So, physical?'

Daphne nodded and started casting healing charms on her leg but kept rubbing at it as well. 'Yes, Harry turned the duel physical by grabbing me round the waist and throwing me across the room, I staggered backwards, and then he pinned me.' Daphne's cheeks pinked a little but she kept most of her composure. 'Which is cheating by the way!' Daphne said loudly to Harry.

Harry looked over his should unabashed. 'I have a size and strength advantage, it would be foolish not to use it and if you had been quicker with your spellwork you wouldn't have had to worry about me 'cheating'.'

Daphne stuck her tongue out but smiled as Harry pulled a face back at her.

'I'll remember that. Maybe you can help me with the physical side?' Daphne smirked at him. 'Could be fun if nothing else.'

'Gladly babe.' Harry waggled his eyebrows and joined Daphne and Tracey sitting around the desk on Daphne's other side. 'Just say when.'

Daphne nudged him with her shoulder and looked him up and down. 'Oh I will.'

Tracey looked between the two who rested in their chairs next to each other with knowing smirks.

'So that's all? Nothing more?' Tracey burst out at her friends who only stared at her blankly. 'Oh come on! I saw how close you two were and you're telling me he didn't even kiss you? I call bullshit.'

Harry groaned and dropped his head. 'Tracey, shut up.'

'No!' Tracey put both hands on the desk before her. 'You pin her against the wall, you're both sweaty and probably on an adrenaline high but you, _you_, don't make a move? What the hell Potter?'

'Who was sweaty and against a wall?' Neville asked as he entered the room with Hermione. 'And do I really want to know?'

'Tracey walked in on me and Daphne practicing for her opening match in November,' Harry said tiredly. 'I won by pinning her.'

Hermione and Neville shared a look and smirked.

'Now when you say pinned?' Neville said slowly and grabbed two stools from Harry's nearest workstation. 'With magic or bodily?'

'Nev.'

'Bodily Neville, I think I interrupted them when it was about to get good though,' Tracey said quickly, keen to jump on any chance to add more to Harry and Daphne's discomfort. 'Shame really, Daphne's been a bit stressed since she got named on the duelling roster, she could use a little release.' Tracey dodged a swipe from Daphne.

'It wasn't like that and you know it Tracey,' Daphne sighed she turned to her other two friends pleadingly. 'It really was just duelling practice, Harry just went on autopilot towards the end. Don't believe the perv.'

Tracey managed to hold her indignant expression for all of two seconds before she shrugged. 'You know I'm right.'

'Of course Daphne,' Hermione interrupted. She patted the blonde on the knee. 'But might I suggest you do your 'physical training' when you won't be discovered? Harry might actually make that move next time. Wouldn't want you to be caught half naked by a teacher.'

'Hermione!' Harry and Daphne said together blushing equally as Neville burst out laughing so much he nearly fell off his stool and Tracey smacked a hand against the table and howled with glee.

'Not cool,' Harry said as he placed his elbows on the table and put his hands together. 'Not on 'Mione.'

'Yeah,' Daphne said her arms crossed under her bust. 'We expect better from you.'

'What are you talking about?' Neville said as he regained his breath. 'That was awesome! One nil Granger I'd say what dyou reckon Trace?'

Tracey couldn't stop laughing but nodded anyway.

Harry and Daphne grimaced as one but smiled weakly when they glanced at each other. Daphne slouched against Harry and sighed deeply. 'I think she got us there Harry.' She held his hand under the table. 'One nil to Hermione?'

Harry made a show of thinking but smiled when Daphne squeezed his hand impatiently. 'Fine, one nil to Hermione.'

Hermione smiled victoriously and set off towards Harry's bubbling potions while Neville and Tracey nosed around the other workstations dedicated to Defence magic and other random things leaving Daphne and Harry together to catch their breath and laugh at their friends' antics.

It was only after Hermione, Neville and Tracey finished looked around the lab, asking the odd question which Harry answered enthusiastically, yes that was a book on Hand magic, no he didn't have it mastered yet, yes that was Elixir of Strength, no it wasn't quite right, he'd be having another go soon, that the group of teens talked about anything else.

'So who wants to be the first to say what they're thinking about the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students?' Neville asked as he took his seat opposite Harry. 'Cus I know we're all curious.'

Tracey shrugged. 'Dunno Nev, I don't think whoever the Beauxbatons put forward will stand much of a chance if that blonde the boys were staring at was anything to go by.' Tracey blushed this time and averted her gaze when Neville grinned at her. 'I was watching her when Dumbledore was talking. Proper stuck up bitch regardless of how pretty she is.'

'Pretty?' Hermione asked with a chuckle. 'Don't tell me you were under her influence as well? Though that would make sense.'

Tracey looked puzzled. 'What? She was hot, pink earmuffs or not. Surely you two noticed?' She gestured at the boys.

'Harry thinks she's part-Veela,' Hermione said simply as the boys grinned at Tracey knowingly.

'Veela?' Daphne asked slowly. She turned to Harry when realisation struck. 'Oh was that the girl you told me about last night?

Harry shook his head. 'Nah love, I was talking about a brunette. The Veela girl was blonde and not as hot.'

'Are you mad? She was gorgeous!' Tracey butted in too quick to stop herself. 'The things I'd have done to her I mean … oops.' Tracey covered her mouth with both hands and blushed violently. 'Don't know where that came from.'

'Now that was hot,' Neville chipped in to everyone but Tracey's amusement. 'Tell us more.'

Tracey growled and glared at Neville. 'Moving on please?'

Daphne took pity on her friend. 'Alright, what do you guys think Krum will go for? I wouldn't be surprised if he wants to be Durmstrang's Champion with the way his Headmaster was fawning over him. What do you think Harry?'

Harry's expression darkened but he managed to smile through it when Daphne turned to him. 'I wouldn't be surprised. World class Quidditch players are very unlikely to bother with schoolchildren.'

'Yeah but Durmstrang is known for its duelling isn't it? He could be doing that.' Tracey picked at her nails idly.

Daphne grimaced. 'I hope not, if he's anything like as good with a wand as he is on a broom I wouldn't want to be up against him on the duelling platform.'

'Well he wasn't on their roster when I checked at breakfast Daphne so you're safe,' Hermione said soothingly but quickly frowned as she considered something. 'Do you think there'll be younger students with them though? If the other schools knew about Dumbledore's Age Line maybe they only bought students who were of age? Wouldn't that be an unfair advantage? They'd have at least two years of experience on Daphne.'

'Nah, there's some younger students, the brunette couldn't have been more than sixteen so I bet there's a few people our age. But even if they are all of age they wouldn't have let Daphne on the team if she wasn't good enough to kick their arses all the way back to the continent.' Harry grinned and squeezed Daphne's shoulder.

Daphne smiled prettily and nudged him again. 'Kiss arse. Thanks.'

'Welcome.'

'Oh get a room you two.' Neville raised an eyebrow as the Slytherin and Gryffindor smiled at each other. Neville pointed at the door. 'Or would you rather we left? You could pick up where you left off when Tracey interrupted.'

'Shut it Nev.'

'Make me.'

'Don't tempt me,' Harry said mock-seriously. 'I'll make what I did to Daphne look like love taps if you're not careful.'

'What exactly did you do to Daphne then Harry?' Tracey asked innocently. 'Should I make notes for a raunchy novel?'

Harry gave Tracey the finger but the girl just grinned devilishly at him and opened her mouth with a response only for Hermione to hit with a quick '_Silencio!_'

Tracey stared incredulously at Hermione's outstretched wand and then the girl herself.

'I knew what was going to come out of your mouth Miss Davies,' Hermione said haughtily. 'I think we've had enough of that for now don't you?'

Tracey scowled and opened and closed her mouth wordlessly but the mouthed words Harry caught weren't very nice and the hand gestures weren't exactly lady-like either if Harry was honest. Funny though.

'I love when Hermione does that to people,' Daphne whispered in Harry's ear. 'Especially Tracey. She gets so animated when she's angry _and _silenced.'

Daphne giggled against him and Harry couldn't help but feel Daphne's breasts pressed against his arm. He crossed his legs and didn't look down. Daphne would tease him rotten and so would Neville if he noticed, but he was too busy laughing at the one sided argument between the other girls. But damn if it didn't feel nice. It made him wonder about what would happen if their practice did turn physical as well. He could definitely think of worse ways to spend a day.

Harry shook his head to clear the cobwebs and smiled. Couldn't let her know. She might change her mind. That would be … terrible.

'I'm surprised she's not done it to you yet actually.' Daphne's voice broke Harry out of his musings. 'You're not exactly polite after all.'

Harry snorted. 'She's not fast enough to get me, maybe if she learned to silent cast.'

'Too quick eh?'

Harry smiled broadly and nodded. 'Damn straight.'

'Speed's not everything Potter.' Daphne hooked a finger under his chin and dipped her own head to the side. 'Do remember that or you'll leave some poor girls very disappointed.'

Harry laughed awkwardly at Daphne's tone and half lidded eyes. Was she really drawing closer?

'Wouldn't want that now would we?' He muttered. She had to be having him on. This was just the adrenaline rush talking, it had to be. She couldn't be serious.

'No we wouldn't.'

She had to be having him on but her hand was on his neck and she was smiling. His eyes fixed on her wetted lips that were too close. The others were right there damn it!

'You promise to never leave me disappointed don't you Harry?'

'Promise,' he whispered so quietly Daphne could barely hear.

'Good.' Daphne smiled and inched a little closer before she pulled back just as he edged closer with a cheeky smile.

Harry let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. 'Tease,' he muttered.

Daphne stuck her tongue out at him. 'You deserved it for not telling me who taught you to duel. Three years and you didn't tell me!'

Harry resisted the urge to groan. That hadn't been a fun conversation. She'd cornered him the weekend after his meeting with Dumbledore, Harry suspected Dumbledore had sent her the note solely to bring Daphne into the light on his training, and demanded to know what was going on between him and Moody. It had just come tumbling out that he'd been training with Moody and all that went with it. She'd been shocked, angry and worried all at once.

She'd slapped him pretty hard as well. His cheek still hurt a little when he thought about it.

'I said I was sorry,' Harry said carefully. 'And I told you why. I also agreed to help with your duelling AND I'm taking you to that damned tea shop on the first Hogsmeade visit. There's not much more I can do Daphne.'

Merlin, he hated Madam Puddifoots. Daphne must have felt like she'd struck gold when she'd realised how much he hated it. It was her go to punishment if he was ever too much of a prick.

Daphne frowned and crossed her arms petulantly. 'Still could have told me. I would have worried less if I knew.'

Harry wrapped his arms around her and pecked her on the cheek. 'Sorry.'

Daphne smiled warmly and leant her head against his. Her long blonde hair merging with his messy black hair. 'That's not fair, I can't stay mad at you when you do that.'

Harry laughed and rested his head on her shoulder. 'I know.'

There was a sharp whistle and the two teens were met with their friends watching them avidly.

'Care to join us in our conversation over here?' Neville sneered. 'We were just talking about the guys going for the champion position. I reckon Diggory and Angelina Johnson are our best bets.' Neville held out a hand to them. 'Thoughts?'

Harry and Daphne didn't separate but did stop and think for a second.

'There's a couple Slytherins who have shouted their mouths off around the common room, I know Tyranus Parkinson put his name in the goblet last night,' Daphne said tapping her chin with a manicured finger. 'But if he's up against Diggory I doubt he'll get it. According to some of the Hufflepuff girls in Arithmancy he was playing up to the House the night before last. He's even better than this one.' She elbowed Harry in the gut when he grunted his displeasure. 'Oh hush you, he's got two years on you, when you reach sixth year we'll compare then.'

Neville stretched back in his chair and chuckled. 'Actually if Hannah is to be believed Cedric and Harry are being compared on a daily basis in the Hufflepuff dorms, seems he's got quite the following in there. Might want to lay a claim on Harry soon Daphne or one of his fan club will snap him up.'

'What?' Harry gagged and released a giggling Daphne. 'Fan club? What fan club?'

Harry looked from amused face to face growing more concerned with each passing moment.

'Neville, explain.'

'It's really quite simple Harry,' Hermione interjected. 'There are girls all over the school who are in a Harry Potter fan club. In our year alone there's the Hufflepuff girls, minus Hannah I assume?' Hermione looked to Neville, who blushed. 'So that's Sue Bones, Sally-Anne Perks, Joanne Dobbs and Lacey Pickle. I wouldn't be surprised if there's more, I know Parvati and Lavender think you're rather, and I'm quoting, 'dishy'.'

Harry's face was unreadable. He wasn't sure whether to be delighted and add their names to his to do list or to be horrified that these girls had formed a freaking club about him. That felt slightly stalkerish.

'That's it though right?' Harry asked fretfully. 'Right?'

'Well I don't know about the Ravenclaw girls, I know Sue Li isn't exactly immune to your dubious charms if the way she blushes whenever you enter a room is any indication, but that's probably it. I could ask?' Hermione offered with a mischievous smile. 'I haven't even mentioned the ones from the rest of the school yet.'

'There's probably a couple of Slytherins as well,' Tracey said blatantly. 'But getting them to admit it is very unlikely. Think of the scandal.'

'Oh Merlin,' Harry said. He smiled slyly though and the others could swear there was a twinkle in his eye. 'Where will I find the time? All those love-struck girls in my own year alone, I'll never get around to the visiting girls, I'll have to prioritise.'

Harry ducked the playful swat at his head from Daphne.

'Don't worry Daphne you're always at the top of my to do list,' Harry said salaciously and winked at the blonde. 'But you might have to share with that French girl, she was too hot to miss.'

'Run Harry.' Daphne went for her wand with a smile of her own and rose from her seat so quickly Harry had to roll from his chair to dodge her opening spell.

Harry snapped his arm out and his wand shot into his hand from his sleeve. 'Come on Daph, gotta be quicker than that.'

Daphne answered with an '_Incarcerous!_' and two sets of ropes shot at Harry's chest and knees.

Harry slashed his wand upwards and muttered, '_Diffindo!_'

The top ropes split in half and fell to the floor uselessly just as Harry jumped over the ropes going for his knees.

Hermione had her wand raised warily, which was shaking slightly in her hand. 'Shouldn't we stop them?'

'No.' Neville grabbed Hermione's shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly. 'Look at their faces, they're smiling.'

And they were. Harry was grinning like a maniac as he dodged Daphne's second Tripping Jinx in a row and when Harry retaliated with a flourished '_Flipendo!_' Daphne's wide smile flashed towards them.

'I think we might want to leave them to it,' Neville said pulling a reluctant Tracey along with them. 'Come on Tracey.'

'Aww,' Tracey said with a pout. 'But I wanna see if it escalates again.'

'Duck!' Harry shouted as a spell shot towards Tracey.

Tracey turned but didn't duck in time and was hit in the shoulder and started floating upwards.

'Oi!' Tracey shouted holding down her skirt as she floated ever upwards. 'Put me down Potter!'

But Harry was already back on the defensive with Daphne firing jinxes at him making him roll and dive out of the way with a Dueller's Shield Charm wrapped around his arm.

'_Stupefy!_' Daphne said as she stabbed her wand at Harry who batted it away with his shield.

Harry rolled with the force of the spell and shot off '_Impedimenta!_' followed by a muttered '_Rictusempra_'.

Daphne blocked the first spell with her shield but hadn't heard the Tickling Charm which made contact with her chest and she burst out laughing and almost dropped her wand as she grabbed at her sides and under her arms.

'Harry!' Daphne forced out through giggles. 'Cancel the charm!'

'_Finite!_' Neville said, his wand pointed at Tracey who slowly floated down to the floor. 'Yeah time to go, before this descends to madness.'

'You mean it hasn't already?' Hermione asked as Daphne dropped her wand and fell to the floor in a fit of giggles after Harry's second Tickling Charm hit Daphne. 'And he's sure he doesn't have feelings for Daphne but happily uses magic to leave her giggling on the floor in training clothes?'

'Isn't it good for a start?' Tracey asked with a saucy wink. 'Tickling will lead to other things I'm sure.'

Neville shrugged as he guided the girls out of the room. 'Well I doubt we really want to see two of our childhood friends using magic to screw each other so let's go. We'll see who the champions are by the end of the weekend anyway.'

They left the room to the sound of Daphne's shrieking laughter and Harry's more composed chuckling.

* * *

The Great Hall was bustling with activity as Harry, Hermione and Neville took their seats at the Gryffindor Table on Sunday night.

The past weekend had been mad.

Most of the students hadn't been able to think about anything other than the bloody Tournament and Harry was already getting a bit sick of it. There had been the odd highlight or two though.

Yesterday morning the Weasley Twins had come down with a big crowd of their housemates proclaiming they'd done something that would let them enter. Harry had been heading down for a walk about the grounds anyway and decided to follow. Stupid as their plan to trick Dumbledore's Age Line was it would undoubtedly be funny. The twins were never boring after all.

Harry took a seat on a bench and watched with muted anticipation as Fred and George danced around to the other students' shouts and catcalls before they pulled out a vial of a clearish potion and flourished them to the crowd before uncorking them and swigging their potion down in one big gulp.

There didn't appear to be any immediate change but Harry suspected they'd just taken an aging potion. As far as Harry knew they were only a few months shy of being of age so they probably only took the needed amount to qualify.

Harry would've been more cautious. Age himself a solid year if he thought a poxy age potion would work against Dumbledore's, _Dumbledore's _for Merlin's sake, Age Line.

So he'd watched the two attentively as they jumped through the glowing golden line that circled the Goblet, an ornate silver thing, and stood there for a second to see if there were any effects.

Harry's jaw dropped a little when they didn't hit a solid wall or something. As if that had worked! There had to be something else protecting the Goblet. The alternative, that the twins had outsmarted Dumbledore, couldn't be possible.

He watched dumbfounded as both twins dropped folded pieces of parchment into the Goblet and cheered as there was a pulse of acceptance from the blue flames.

Just as the twins were at the edge of the circle the Goblet exploded with red flames and two fireballs shot out and at the twins. They tried to dodge but the fire hit home and knocked both boys to the stone floor.

They rose quickly but only grabbed at their faces as they sprouted Dumbledore-like beards and their ginger hair paled to white.

Harry had left before the fighting had escalated but when he'd left the Great Hall the twins had been wrestling on the ground, their white beards flapping madly as they rolled around.

The attempts to trick the Goblet had stopped then. The only people who had put their names in afterwards were students old enough to compete. There'd been a petite French girl who had to go on her tiptoes to enter her name. Harry seriously loved those little skirts they wore. He'd have to tell Sirius that the French girls still wore frilly underwear.

'So anyone know if anyone else tried to enter the tournament?' Harry asked as the three sat. 'Or is it just Diggory, Angelina and that Slytherin Daphne mentioned?'

'I know all of the visiting students of age have entered their names.' Hermione helped herself to some lamb as the food appeared on the table. 'Bit silly of them not to, coming all this way, but I don't think anyone else from Hogwarts has tried.'

'Krum?' Harry asked as he shovelled food onto his own plate.

'You can tell the missus she needn't fret.' Harry scowled at an unabashed Neville. 'Krum put his name in yesterday during breakfast.'

Harry made a noise of approval and cast his gaze over to the Slytherin table where the Durmstrang students had set up camp since the first night. He spotted Daphne talking to a smaller, less developed version of herself. Astoria Greengrass was chattering away to her sister with the biggest grin Harry had ever seen.

Astoria noticed him looking and blushed. She gave him a little wave and determinedly looked away. Tori always had had a bit of a crush on him. It was cute. So was she. She'd be on the list if she was a couple years older, and not Daphne's little sister.

Daphne, as if sensing his gaze, looked up and winked at him. He winked back and looked further down the table for his target. He could flirt with Daphne later but he wanted to see where Krum was and what he was doing.

Krum was sat at the end of the table surrounded by a group of, who Harry assumed were, his friends. He looked sullen as ever, no one had seen him smile since he'd stepped foot on the ground, but there appeared to be a serious hunger in his eyes. He was staring at the Goblet like a wolf stared at sheep.

Krum was for champion then. Good. The Quidditch would be more interesting without him in it.

'I think the Quidditch team will be more relieved.' Hermione's voice brought Harry back to his friends. 'They were so glad when the rosters went up and his name wasn't in the Seeker spot. Katie Bell almost cried.'

Harry chuckled and looked down the table at his fellow teammate. Katie shot him a winning grin when she noticed him looking and quickly turned back to her friends.

'Not surprised, Davies probably passed out when Krum got off the boat.' Neville chuckled.

They chattered amongst themselves for the rest of the meal, Harry helped himself to a couple of helpings of some lovely treacle tart, until Dumbledore stood suddenly and the food on the platters disappeared. The room moved to face the staff table as one.

Dumbledore beamed down at them and spread his arms out like he was going to hug all of them at once.

'I'm afraid I require all of your attention because Mr Crouch has just informed me the Goblet of Fire is ready to reveal our champions!'

Mr Crouch, the bastard who had worried about his ability to keep secrets, was a thin man with a pencil moustache and iron grey robes. It was odd to see him in robes when he struck Harry as one of the few older wizards who'd prefer Muggle suits. He nodded and rose from his seat between McGonagall and the Headmistress of Beauxbatons whose name still escaped Harry.

Ludo Bagman rose from the opposite side between Snape and Karkaroff, Harry wasn't pleased to see the two 'reformed' Death Eaters that close, at least the bumbling buffoon that was Bagman was between them.

Dumbledore motioned for them to sit and stepped down to the front of the staff table and stood by the Goblet.

'I know we're all desperate to know who our three champions are so I won't keep you waiting any longer than I have to.' The fire crackled in the Goblet and without warning shot out a singed peace of parchment that Dumbledore plucked out of the air. 'Ah! We have our first champion!'

He unfolded the parchment, a torn mud brown colour, and read: 'The Durmstrang Triwizard Champion is: Viktor Krum!'

Cheering sounded before Dumbledore finished the name as the end of the Slytherin Table burst to life. Krum had unanimous support then. Good thing to know.

Karkaroff thumped his fist on the table and shouted over the applause. 'Well done Viktor!'

Krum hunched his way towards Dumbledore and the Goblet. His lip was curled slightly in what was supposed to be a smile. Dumbledore shook his hand and gestured him down to the right where the caretaker Filch was waiting by an open door that led to the chamber first years were kept in prior to their Sorting if Harry remembered correctly.

The cheering was still going on at the far end of the Slytherin table.

'Yes well done Mr Krum but now we need our other two champions!'

The crowd silenced again and waited with bated breath for the next piece of parchment.

The flames pulsed and another name shot into the air before floating down to Dumbledore's hand. The parchment was fancy and perfect white.

'French,' Harry muttered only to be shushed by Neville and Hermione.

Dumbledore smiled and unfolded the parchment delicately. 'And the Beauxbatons Champion is: Fleur Delacour!'

The blonde Veela girl shot to her feet at the Ravenclaw table to shouting that wasn't entirely positive. So Veela girl, Fleur he corrected, wasn't as well liked as Krum eh? Another good thing to know. She faked through congratulations and commiserations with practiced ease that smacked of Harry's manner lessons when he was first entering pure blood society.

She pranced like a deer to Dumbledore with a pretty smile and shook Dumbledore's hand daintily. Dumbledore was unfazed and fixed her with the same benign smile he had Krum. Maybe the stories about Dumbledore's preferences were true after all. Even Harry could feel the tug of her aura when he caught her smiling.

He, and the rest of the boys in the room, watched Fleur flutter away from the room, eyes glued to her pert behind. You didn't need to be under her aura to appreciate what Magic had seen fit to give her.

The clapping died down again and all eyes were on Dumbledore again, the tension in the room palpable. One left.

Harry looked over at Angelina Johnson who had her head bowed and her lips moving in silent prayer. She'd put everything on being Champion so it wasn't surprising she was desperate.

Dumbledore raised his hand as the Goblet pulsed for the third and final time. The scrap of parchment shot into the air, just a simple brown and neatly folded piece, and was plucked up quickly. The students leaned forwards as if being closer meant they'd know earlier. They needn't have bothered. Before Dumbledore unfolded it the entire Hall knew who had won.

'The Hogwarts Champion is …' Dumbledore paused for effect and looked to the Hufflepuff table with a proud smile. 'Cedric Diggory!'

Hufflepuff table exploded. The noise was so loud nobody could hear the groans from Gryffindor table. Angelina looked sick.

Harry shook his head. Daft girl. It was a stupid, highly dangerous, tournament that could quite easily leave her dead. Quidditch should have been her first port of call and now, because of her greed, she didn't even have that.

Harry clapped politely as Diggory was forced up and towards Dumbledore who clapped him on the shoulder while guiding him towards the same antechamber as Krum and Fleur.

'Well that's that over with,' Harry muttered to his friends. 'Wonder when the first task will be?'

'Dunno, soon I hope,' Neville said with a shrug. 'When's the Knowledge Bowl starting 'Mione?'

Hermione opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted by Dumbledore.

'Well now we have our champions and I hope you'll all support them with all your enthusiasm. Mr Crouch why don't you take away the Goblet of Fire?'

Barty Crouch nodded and joined Dumbledore by the Goblet with the casket he'd taken it out of on Friday but he'd no sooner than placed the casket on the table when the calm flames sparked to life again and another piece of parchment shot out of the flames.

The Hall was deathly quiet as it floated down and was taken out of the air by Dumbledore's shaking hand.

Something cold sunk its' claws into Harry's belly. No, his luck couldn't be that bad, it just couldn't be. Fate couldn't hate him _that_ much surely?

He watched in silent horror as Dumbledore unfolded the parchment with his long fingers. The old man's usually sparkly eyes sharpened and his teeth set as he turned to look straight at the Gryffindor table.

'Harry Potter,' he said, his voice as cold as ice and just as hard.

The near-whisper carried to him and Harry froze still in his seat.

'Bollocks.'


	9. Just Call Me Ambassador Potter

**Chapter Nine: Just Call Me Ambassador Potter**

This had to be a really bad dream. Even his luck couldn't be _this_ crap. It just couldn't.

Then again he had had to face down a giant snake, that could literally kill him with a look, when he only had a mouldy hat and a phoenix, beautiful as he was Fawkes was a fraction of the basilisk's size, so maybe his luck was just that bad.

He groaned as he walked down the stone steps to the chamber, his heartbeat matching each step filling him with more and more foreboding, where the other Champions were waiting.

No, not other, actual Champions. There had to be some way around this nightmare. He couldn't be the fourth champion he just couldn't. The clue was in the name for Merlin's sake! Tri! The Triwizard Tournament.

The chamber he entered was one he hadn't been in before.

The walls were lined with portraits of old wizards and witches. One witch, with a droopy hat and warts, was talking to Diggory animatedly while the Hufflepuff nodded along politely.

In the room there was a roaring fire that Fleur was stood next to, casting a relatively nice silhouette he wasn't ashamed to admit, even if she was rubbing her arms and frowning. Honestly girl, it's not that cold!

Krum was the first to notice him when he turned away from the window. He frowned.

'Yes? Vot is it?' Krum's voice was unsurprisingly gravelly but not overly threatening. His hawk-like expression probably made him appear more threatening than anything he'd ever actually said. 'Do vey vant us back?'

Diggory and Fleur turned to look at him with their own curious looks.

'Harry?' Diggory asked. His expression became concerned when Harry didn't answer. 'What's up? Do they need us up there for something?'

Harry just shrugged and walked into the room. Dream, dream, it had to be a dream. Any second now he'd be woken up by Neville, in his favourite armchair in front of the fire in the Common Room, and dragged down to the champion selection.

The other three people in the room stared at him expectantly, except for Diggory who was beginning to look really worried. Diggory had always been switched on, he'd probably clocked something very 'Harry Potter' had happened and now the tall Hufflepuff was in the middle of it. He had been here for every misadventure Harry had ever had after all.

'Harry?' Diggory asked as he walked over to him. 'What in Merlin's name are you doing down here?

There was shouting and pounding feet heading towards the chamber. Easily six people possibly more. Oh hell.

The others turned to look at the open door as well.

'Don't worry about it Diggory, you're about to get all of the answers you could possibly want I'm sure.'

Harry walked further into the room and slumped down on a bench by the fire. Fleur raised a delicate eyebrow at him as he approached but ignored him after he'd sat down.

Yes bitch, ignore me now. It's about to get very hard to do that, better you make the best of it now.

Dumbledore rushed through the door and made a beeline for Harry. He grabbed Harry by both shoulders so hard that his thumbs dug into Harry's flesh. Harry scowled and glared straight into Dumbledore's eyes …

Oh. Smart man! Bit nosy but hell if it works.

Harry tried his hardest not to blink and to keep looking into Dumbledore's bright blue eyes.

'Harry, did you put your name into the Goblet of Fire?'

'No.'

Dumbledore's eyes roved over his face looking for any slight tick or tell. Nice to know your Headmaster thinks you're truly insane.

'Did you ask an older student to do it for you?'

'No. I told you I wanted nothing to do with this tournament remember?'

Dumbledore sighed and let go of Harry's shoulders.

'Headmaster, what's going on?' Diggory asked, troubled. 'Why were you asking Harry about the Goblet?'

Dumbledore shook his head. 'Wait just a moment Mr Diggory, I have a feeling all will be made clear shortly.'

Diggory frowned but nodded.

Harry wondered if he should be worried that both he and Dumbledore fobbed off Diggory in more or less the exact same way. It was spooky if nothing else. He rubbed his arms to recirculate the blood through his arms as he watched Ludo Bagman charge into the room.

'Amazing!' Bagman shouted. Harry resisted the urge to curse the man. This was not amazing. Arse. 'Lady and gentlemen may I introduce … well … the fourth Triwizard champion?'

Ludo gestured at Harry. Steady Potter, this was going to have to happen. Don't curse him. Yet.

Krum straightened and marched forwards while Diggory's jaw dropped. Only Fleur made a noise.

'Zat is not possible,' Fleur said disdain written across her face. 'You must be joking Meester Bagman. 'E is too leetle to compete.'

Little? Bitch! Harry scowled. No, calm, calm. She's not worth it. Your time would be better placed trying to figure out how this cock up was even possible. Breathe Potter.

Dumbledore placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. It was only then that Harry noticed his wand was already in his hand.

He looked up at the old man apologetically and replaced his wand up his sleeve just in time for the Beauxbatons Headmistress, _Professor_ Karkaroff, Professor McGonagall, Crouch, Moody and, much to Harry's distaste, Snape to barge into the room.

'Madame Maxime!' Fleur said the second the large woman was in the room. 'Zey are saying that zis leetle boy is to enter ze Tournament wiz us!'

Breathe Potter. Not worth it.

Madame Maxime, Harry committed her name to memory, looked from Fleur, to him and finally rested on Dumbledore with an unreadable expression. 'What is ze meaning of zis Dumbly-dorr?'

'I think I would like to know that as well,' Karkaroff said. He smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. Harry resisted the urge to smirk. If he was displeasing that tricky bastard then this wasn't all bad. 'How is it your school has two champions? Have I misread something?'

'Ludo this might not have been the best time for your enthusiasm,' Dumbledore said calmly.

Bagman had the decency to look bashful.

'_C'est impossible,_' Maxime said. Harry was thanking his French lessons now. Remus had been right when he was eight. You never knew when you'd need another language. ''Ogwarts cannot have two champions! It is most unfair.'

'Wasn't your Age Line supposed to stop this sort of thing from happening?' Karkaroff was still smiling but his voice was betraying him by getting colder and colder. 'I'd have told my other students to try and enter as well if anyone could apply.'

Dumbledore's hand was still on his shoulder. Good thing too. His temper was flaring. The bastard had the audacity to take shots at Dumbledore for something that wasn't his fault when he'd welcomed Karkaroff into his school with open arms? Harry already had the perfect curse set up in his head. His magic almost begging to be let loose.

'No one but Potter is to blame here Karkaroff,' Snape chipped in. His dark eyes bored into Harry who only stared back impetuously. Bring it on you greasy twat. 'Don't go blaming Dumbledore for Potter's hereditary need to break rules. He's been crossing lines from the moment he got here …'

'Thank you Severus,' Dumbledore said firmly. Snape smirked at Harry but said nothing else.

'I have already asked Mr Potter if he entered his name into the Goblet of Fire or asked anyone else to and he has said no.'

Snape snorted and Harry looked at him hatefully.

'Has it not occurred to you Dumbledore that the boy is lying?' Karkaroff's voice was patronising bordering on mocking. 'He is very unlikely to admit to cheating if he is asked. Liars lie it's what they do.'

'You'd know wouldn't you?' Harry couldn't stop himself.

Karkaroff sneered at him, Maxime looked scandalised. McGonagall gave him a stern look while Snape looked downright gleeful. Moody was smiling though and all of Harry's doubts about the man were gone in that moment. Only Moody would find this funny.

'Harry,' Dumbledore said pleadingly.

Harry held his hands up but didn't stop glaring at Karkaroff.

'But 'e must be lying,' Maxime cried. Snape's lip shook his head and curled his lip.

'He could not have crossed the Age Line,' McGonagall snapped. 'Potter is a talented student but Dumbledore wrote that line himself.'

'Dumbly-dorr must 'ave made a mistake wiz ze line,' Maxime said with a shrug.

'It is certainly possible,' Dumbledore said politely.

Harry scoffed with McGonagall. Leave it to the French to place blame rather than try to fix the problem.

'Albus we both know that is ridiculous,' McGonagall snapped. 'Harry could not have crossed the line and if Dumbledore believes Harry didn't persuade another student to do it for him then that should be good enough for everyone else. Everyone.'

She glared pointedly at Snape.

Harry zoned out a little as Karkaroff pulled the other two judges into the matter. He needed to think and this was the only chance he was going to get at the moment.

McGonagall was right. He couldn't have crossed the line even if he wanted. He'd put thought into what he'd have done to get into the Tournament as an exercise and the Age Line had always stopped him dead.

The Goblet of Fire had always been the part he'd focussed on. It could be tampered with as it was supposed to be impartial and, unless Dumbledore was monitoring it for charms and enchantments, it was trusted to be left alone by anyone not trying to enter the Triwizard Tournament.

It was the prime target. He had come up with several possibilities.

A Confundus Charm on the Goblet, a really powerful one, could have worked. Convince the Goblet that Hogwarts was supposed to have two champions or that there was a fourth school. But he was sketchy with mind magic if not just downright awful. He couldn't even shield his mind with Occlumency effectively, let alone confuse other people or objects.

He'd thought of flying over the line, but that would draw attention and besides, he didn't know if the Age Line would catch him regardless of him being off the ground. It could be a floor to ceiling barrier. Dumbledore wouldn't be stupid and rule that possibility out.

He'd gotten more and more desperate with his theories as he'd gone along. Eventually he'd given up after all he could think of doing was throwing his piece of parchment into the Goblet like a Quaffle.

All he could think of now was someone had entered his name into the Goblet. Somebody old enough to cross the Age Line. Somebody who wanted him hurt. Because there was no other reason someone would put a fourteen year old in this competition if the other champions had to be of age. It was just too malicious to be a practical joke.

Now, who in the school wanted him hurt? Harry glared at Snape.

'Empty threat Karkaroff,' Moody growled, bringing Harry back to the discussion. 'You can't leave your champion now, he's got to compete. They've all got to compete. Potter included. Binding magical contract, like Dumbledore said. Convenient that, eh?'

Harry chuckled a little but no one noticed. Yes, very convenient. Now he had to enter this damn tournament that would most likely kill him. He wouldn't be the first Potter the Tournament had claimed either. A Potter in the mid-fifteenth century had bought it in the first task.

'I don't see what's convenient about this Mad-Eye.' Karkaroff tried to sound angry with Moody. It wasn't working. His hand was in pocket and appeared to be gripped around something. Oh dear Karkaroff is that your yellow streak I can see?

'Really?' Moody sneered. 'Let's see if I can't open your eyes a little.'

Harry smirked.

'It's rather simple. Someone has put Potter's name into the Goblet knowing he'd have to compete if his name popped out. They probably made sure it'd come out as well.'

Harry could have hugged the man. Finally somebody was talking sense.

'Someone 'oo wants to give 'Ogwarts a second bite of ze apple.' Maxime flung her dustbin hands in the air.

'Quite right my lady!' Karkaroff gave her a little bow. 'I've every mind to make a complaint with your Ministry and the International Confederation or Wizards –

'Bollocks.'

The room as one moved to stare at Harry.

'What did you say?' Karkaroff asked.

'You heard him Karkaroff,' Moody said. 'I can repeat it myself, slowly, if you'd prefer?'

Karkaroff glared at Moody but quickly turned back to Harry.

Harry stood as calmly as he could. Remember Harry, his dad's voice resonated in his head, shouting and screaming in an argument makes you look like a moody child, keep your cool and only ever shout if absolutely necessary. Keep the power at your feet.

'Harry,' Dumbledore said sternly. 'There wasn't any need for that language.'

'Sorry Professor but I disagree.' Harry shrugged and dusted off his trousers when he reached his full height. 'I have sat here, rather patiently, waiting for someone to tell me what's going on and how I'm in this Tournament in the first place. And all that's happened is this jumped up 'reformed' Death Eater,' Dumbledore's eyes widened but he said nothing, 'is accusing me, and then you, of cheating so I can enter a tournament I have no interest in taking part in. I don't need the money or the fame. I'm Harry Potter, my name is already known all over Europe, I don't need any more fame thanks.'

'_Insolent little boy,_' Fleur muttered in French from behind him.

'Something to say Miss Delacour?' Harry asked brusquely with a disparaging look over his shoulder at the frowning girl. Fleur jumped. 'Yes love, I speak French and I've got your _leetle boy_ right here.' Harry grabbed at his crotch.

Moody barked out a laugh and Harry smirked at him.

'Mr Potter!' McGonagall shouted. 'Twenty points from Gryffindor!'

'To be honest Professor I was expecting to lose points anyway. Actually you might want to make a running tally for what I'm about to say.'

'Now, Professor Karkaroff.' Disdain dripped off Harry's tongue like spit. 'I am flattered you think I'm skilled enough to trick Albus Dumbledore, the strongest wizard alive, but you're making yourself look very stupid so do be quiet.'

Karkaroff scowled and made to swipe at him before freezing in place.

'Well now we know how you discipline students at Durmstrang,' Harry said. 'What's the matter Igor? Realised there's an ex-Auror in the room? Who, if I'm not mistaken, has his wand pressed into your back?'

Moody forced his wand tip against Karkaroff's spine. 'Kid got you there Karkaroff. Step away, now.'

'Boy,' Karkaroff snarled, his steely smile long gone, replaced with a cold glare. 'You will pay for your insolence.'

'Funny,' Harry sneered. 'Voldemort's said something similar to me twice now. How is the old master doing Igor?'

'Harry, Alastor,' Dumbledore said firmly. 'This isn't helping. If you have something to say Harry please do.'

Harry nodded and stepped away from Karkaroff but Moody didn't.

'Sorry Professor,' he said. 'Don't know what came over me. Being forced into a tournament against my will brings out the worst in me.'

'And what evidence do you 'ave to support zat?' Maxime said coolly. 'All I see is an arrogant child throwing 'is weight around.'

Harry smiled at her. 'I've not been a child for a _long_ time Madame, a psychotic madman trying to kill me saw to that.'

Maxime sniffed but didn't say anything. What could she say? Dumbledore would have had to air out some of Hogwarts recent dirty laundry when discussing security with the other schools. Harry couldn't stand his fame most of the time, it made going anywhere that had lots of people very difficult. But sometimes it didn't half come in handy.

'The boy has a point Albus,' Moody said. He'd finally put his wand away but he hadn't moved from behind Karkaroff. 'Somebody has tried to kill Potter for three years running. They may be thinking fourth time is the charm. And they'll have to be powerful to hoodwink the Goblet into picking a fourth champion in a three school tournament.'

Dumbledore sighed and tugged on his beard a little. 'You think that someone has used a Confundus Charm on the Goblet then Alastor?'

'I'd have to check,' Moody said. He tapped his fake leg. 'But I'd bet my leg on it. Someone has Confunded the Goblet into thinking there's a fourth school, put Potter's name in under that school so he's the only possible choice and hey presto.'

'You appear to have given this a good bit of thought Mad-Eye,' Karkaroff said coldly. 'Your theory is ingenious of course, who'd think to tamper with a magical object in a school for wizards? Only an assassin.'

Moody's magical eye, which had been whizzing around the room, zeroed in on Karkaroff along with his normal eye. 'It used to be my job to think as criminals do Karkaroff. You'd think you'd remember …'

'Alastor!' Dumbledore shouted.

Moody fell silent but eyed Karkaroff, who had gone redder than Ron Weasley's ears when he got mad, with silent satisfaction.

'We can not say for sure how this has come to pass,' Dumbledore addressed the whole room and Bagman seemed to look relieved that all the dramatics were over. 'But with the binding magical contract in place it appears both Cedric and Harry must compete for Hogwarts, and this they will do.'

Harry looked mutinous. This had Voldemort stamped all over it and Dumbledore was just going to let this happen? Was he cracked?

'But Dumbly-dorr –'

'My dear Madame Maxime, if you have an alternative, I would be delighted to hear it.'

They waited but the large woman didn't offer up anything she just glared. Harry mentally reminded himself to work on his manners as a particularly biting French joke reared its head. His father would kill him if he was the reason for a break down in Anglo-French relations.

Maxime wasn't the only one displeased with the verdict. Snape looked like he could explode with fury, something Harry truly hoped would happen, Karkaroff was livid and Fleur was glaring daggers at him. He shrugged her off.

Bagman however was ecstatic.

'Shall we crack on then?' he said, rubbing his hands together and smiling around the room. 'Got to give our champions there instructions haven't we? Barty want to do the honours?'

Harry had almost forgotten about Crouch. The man had barely said two words throughout this impromptu argument.

The tall man stepped away from the fire. Harry hadn't noticed before but the man's face was incredibly gaunt and there were bags under his eyes bigger than the ones Sirius had after a night out in Muggle London. He looked like he should be wrapped up in bed rather than giving instructions on deadly tasks. Harry would worry about the man if he wasn't a bit worried for himself at the moment.

'Yes,' he said, 'instructions. Yes … the first task. The first task is to test your resolve in facing the unknown,' he told Harry, Cedric, Krum and Fleur, 'so we won't be telling you anything about it. Courage in the face of the unknown is a very important quality in a wizard … very important …'

Harry really didn't like the sound of that. He hated it when he didn't know what he was up against. Merlin this was so fucked up.

'The first task will take place on the twenty fourth of November, in front of the other students and the panel of judges.'

Yeah, cus that's fair. He'd already pissed off two of his future judges and he really doubted their integrity when it came to giving him a fair score. He hoped they'd at least treat Diggory fairly. It wasn't his fault someone was screwing with Harry's life again.

Harry actually felt rather guilty thinking of Diggory. He was essentially pissing all over the Hufflepuff's moment in the sun. Then again he wasn't really at fault either. Still …

'The champions are not permitted to ask for help or accept help of any kind from their teachers to complete the tasks. The champions will be armed with only their wands and their brains. They will receive information on the second task when the first is over. Due to the time consuming nature of the Tournament the champions are exempted from the end of year exams and any classes if they are working on the tasks.'

Well that was a plus at least. He now had a reason to skive off Potions. Snape would be pleased.

'You will also be outfitted with personal quarters for the duration of the tournament to do with as you wish,' Dumbledore added with a benign smile. 'Right Barty?'

'Right,' Crouch said absently. 'That's all I think, isn't it Albus?'

Dumbledore nodded but looked concerned. 'Yes I think so Barty. Are you sure you wouldn't rather stay at Hogwarts tonight?

'No, no,' Crouch said with a shake of his head. 'I need to return to the Ministry, I've left young Weatherby in charge, enthusiastic young man, very capable, but a little too quick to take on responsibility if truth be told.'

'I still don't understand why you aren't staying Barty!' Bagman interrupted like a small child. 'I am, it's where all the fun is going to be.'

Harry ignored them, he didn't really want to listen to Bagman whine on, he was very quickly realising why he annoyed his father so much.

He instead sized up his competition. He wasn't exactly happy he was in this messed up excuse for a tournament but if he was going to be forced to participate, he was sure as hell going to win.

The first thing he noticed was that all of them, even Fleur to some extent, were taller than him. They had an immediate size advantage over him then. That could be irritating in the long run. At least he was stronger than Fleur. She couldn't be as strong as any of the other champions. Then there was the fact they each had at least two years more structured magical education than him. Granted he had specialised on duelling, and all the magic that went with it, but Merlin only knew what else they had learnt that he hadn't because of his specialisation.

Despite himself though, he was looking forward to taking on more experienced wizards and witches, he always had enjoyed a challenge.

'Well I think that's that. Professor Karkaroff, Madame Maxime … a night cap?' Dumbledore asked.

Maxime already had her massive arm around Fleur and was leading her out of the room at speed. They passed him and Fleur glared at him. Harry smirked and blew her a kiss. Fleur looked scandalised and also perplexed. It would seem no one had ever managed to throw off her aura before. Sorry love, you're not all that.

He ignored the rapid, muttered French between student and teacher as they left. He didn't need to listen to guess what they were talking about.

Karkaroff beckoned to Krum and they left in silence. Krum looked intrigued though when he glanced at Harry. It wasn't a suspicious or distrustful look. He looked at Harry like he was a particularly difficult puzzle. Harry could appreciate that, he sometimes wondered when the last piece would fall into place and his life would start making sense too.

He watched them leave until they were completely out of sight. He quickly glanced at Moody. The man shrugged at him and turned to face Dumbledore. His magical eye was still looking down the corridor though.

'Harry, Cedric, I think it's time you go to bed. Your housemates will have probably already started the celebrations and it would be a shame to rob them of their guests of honour.'

Cedric grinned but Harry could only shudder. Great, more attention.

Cedric walked out of the room but gave Harry a searching look when he didn't budge.

'Professor?' Harry asked. He wasn't sure why he was doing this but it needed to be said.

'Yes Harry?' Dumbledore smiled at him. 'What is it?'

'I just wanted to apologise for … all this.' Harry frowned. 'But I wasn't going to sit there and let them accuse me of everything under the sun without a little retaliation.'

Dumbledore chuckled and looked at Harry over his half-moon glasses. 'A little retaliation Harry?'

'I didn't curse him did I?' Harry asked unabashedly.

'No,' Dumbledore said. 'Thank you for that. Anglo-French relations have already taken a serious blow I feel, I don't think it would have helped our relationship with Durmstrang if you'd cursed their Headmaster as well.'

Harry had the distinct feeling Dumbledore was less annoyed than he should be. But he wasn't going to question a good thing.

'Well goodnight sir,' Harry said. 'Professor McGonagall.'

He ignored Snape and left with Cedric.

They'd walked past the Great Hall, which was almost pitch black with only stubs of candles in jagged toothed pumpkins which cast spooky shadows in the dying candlelight, before Diggory spoke.

'So,' he started. 'Tell me, how do you think they got your name in the Goblet?'

Harry stared at Diggory. He'd expected anger, disbelief, cold indifference but not this. The older boy just walked along with a concerned expression on his face.

'You don't think I'm lying then?' Harry finally said.

Diggory shrugged. 'Why would you lie? You're not trying to score with anyone in that room.' He smiled. 'Unless you're into big women.'

Harry laughed starkly. 'No, I'm not. I see my reputation precedes me though.'

'Little bit Harry. But you forget, I've been here since you started and we all watch Harry Potter when he does something. I still feel somewhat sorry for that Ravenclaw girl in your year. You could see her blush from across the Great Hall when you hugged her on the last day last term.'

'What can I say?' Harry asked cheekily. 'She's cute when she's flustered.'

Diggory laughed but didn't say anything more until they reached the steps that would lead Harry to the Gryffindor Tower where they'd split up. The Hufflepuff dorms were on the ground floor near the kitchen if memory served.

'Well Harry, best of luck.' He held out his hand for Harry. 'But I'm in it to win it. Understood?'

'Of course.' Harry took the proffered hand and shook it firmly. 'Best of luck to you too Cedric.'

Harry watched the other boy walk away before he started up the stairs.

The second he was alone his mind was off.

For the fourth year in a row his life was in danger and he had no doubts as to who the mastermind behind this latest attempt was.

Voldemort. It was always Voldemort. The man was obsessed with him.

Harry clenched his fists and took a hard step down on the second floor.

What really bothered him though was that he'd dreamt about Voldemort and Wormtail talking about getting him into the Triwizard Tournament before he'd even heard it was taking place. It had felt crazy at the time but he could have sworn the dream had felt far too real. And now here he was a champion in the Triwizard Tournament.

How had Voldemort managed it? He didn't even have a body for Merlin's sake! Wormtail had to be helping him. Looking after him so he could be strong enough to fuck with Harry's life again.

Wormtail. His blood boiled when he thought of that rat bastard. And he'd been so close to killing him last year. Why had Neville stopped him?

'I don't want you to become a murderer!' Neville's voice echoed through his head.

It wouldn't have been murder. It would have been overdue pest control. If he'd killed Wormtail then and there he wouldn't have been able to help Voldemort with his attempts on Harry's life. Harry wouldn't be in a tournament where his life would be in danger on a regular basis. Voldemort would still be weak, alone and completely and utterly powerless.

But now, because of Wormtail, he had the lengths and the means to hurt Harry.

Harry was vaguely aware of the portraits lining the walls were talking to him, congratulations or admonishments he wasn't sure, but right now he didn't give a damn.

With Wormtail at his disposal, Voldemort could contact his old followers who were in much better positions to hurt Harry. Because there was no way Wormtail could leave Voldemort's side if he really was in a baby's body, or whatever poor creature he'd possessed, he'd need looking after.

So they'd have needed someone else. A Death Eater, with a reason and the means to be at the Triwizard Tournament at Hogwarts. And lo and behold there were two supposedly ex-Death Eaters in the castle right now.

Snape or Karkaroff. Harry's money was on Karkaroff. His dad was right, Snape was too far under Dumbledore's thumb to try anything this crazy.

Karkaroff had been pretty convincing in his anger though.

Of course he was, he'd managed to talk his way out of Azkaban. He was a talented liar and probably had bridges to build if Voldemort had heard how the weasel had betrayed his fellow Death Eaters. Wormtail could easily have made contact with him.

Harry scowled and broke out into a run up the stairs, startling several portraits as he went, but he didn't care. Because of Neville's conscience he was in more danger than ever.

This was all Neville's fault.

* * *

Harry dived into the fourth year boys' dormitory and slammed the door behind him.

If he hadn't been angry before he'd got to the tower he was now. Why would no one listen to him? He hadn't had his name put in the Goblet, he didn't want anything to do with this Tournament! He hadn't even tried for the team stuff. If he was going to be anyway involved he'd have gone for the Quidditch!

Angelina had swooped down on him and nearly knocked him over when she hugged him. She was apparently relieved that someone from Gryffindor had got in even if it wasn't her.

And everyone wanted to know how he'd managed it. They all thought he'd been so crafty and cool. How come no one realised they were saying he was smarter than Dumbledore when they did that? Idiots.

'Yeah, it's a bit manic down there isn't it?' Neville said from the foot of his bed. 'What took you?'

Harry scowled at him. 'What took me?'

'Yeah, you've been gone ages, Hermione's already gone to bed.' Neville raised an eyebrow. 'Are you alright mate? You're not in too much trouble are you?'

Harry seethed at Neville's gall. He had to calm down though. He'd never get out what he had to say to Neville if he didn't.

'No,' Harry said through gritted teeth. 'I'm not in too much trouble. Lost some points for being rude to the Veela. Oh and I apparently _have_ to compete in the Tournament.'

'But they've got to know you didn't put your name in! You were with us all weekend.' Neville's face fell when Harry just shrugged. 'Shit. What are you gonna do Harry?'

'Compete of course,' Harry hissed. He shoved his hands into his pockets and kicked the nearby trunk. Ron's he thought. 'Though I hope your proud of yourself.'

Neville's brow knitted together and he frowned at Harry.

Harry nearly went for him. He was confused? As if! He had to know he was the reason Harry was in this damn thing.

'What do you mean? What did I do?' Neville asked. He was watching Harry carefully now. Good, he should be.

'Well I'm in this Tournament.' Harry raised his arms into the air. 'Where my life will be in danger at least three times in the year, if not more if they throw in some surprises along the way, and it's all because of you.' Harry practically growled the last part. 'So thanks for that _mate_.'

'What in Merlin's name are you talking about?' Neville frowned incredulously. 'I couldn't have put your name in the Goblet any more than you could!'

'Don't be an idiot Neville!' Harry snarled. How could he have the balls not to admit it was his fault? 'It's all down to you because you didn't let me kill Wormtail when I had the chance and now I'm in the fucking Triwizard Tournament! Just like they were planning in my dream!'

Neville rolled his eyes. He actually rolled his eyes at him! The bastard! Harry fought the urge to go for his wand.

'Harry, how can Wormtail have put your name in the Goblet? If your dream is actually true, which is ridiculous, he's still stuck in some old manor house unable to go anywhere that he might be recognised. Surely he isn't that stupid that he'd come here again?' Neville tried to rationalise.

'He doesn't need to leave Voldemort remember? There are still Death Eaters not in Azkaban and there's at least two of them in the castle right now.' Harry could feel his magic pulsing in his gut. He took a deep breath. 'All Voldemort would have to do is send a message through Wormtail's Dark Mark and he could summon any number of his Death Eaters to him.'

Neville blanched. The damage he'd done by letting Wormtail go was finally coming round to him.

'But,' Neville tried desperately. 'But still, who'd answer the call and go to him? All the Death Eaters on the outside have spent years denying him. Who'd come crawling back after that?'

'Wormtail did,' Harry said savagely. 'That was evidently enough. I hope you're happy.'

'Harry,' Neville said. 'You can't blame me for stopping you from killing Pettigrew. You didn't want to be a murderer!'

'No, I didn't.' Harry's tone was cool. 'But that choice was taken from me when Voldemort acted on a prophecy and killed my mother. I was always going to become a murderer. That was always out of my hands.'

Neville stood and started pacing back and forth. 'I know, I've always known. But that doesn't mean you get to kill anyone who ever wrongs you like that Harry!' Neville stopped and looked at Harry pleadingly. 'Pettigrew deserved Azkaban. If you had killed him, it would have been you carted off to that hell hole.'

'And you're telling me that you wouldn't kill the people who put your parents in their beds in St Mungo's?' Harry's wand was in his hand, he could feel it hum dangerously. Red sparks crackled out of the end as his temper flared. 'I would never deny you that. How could you take my chance to avenge my mother? How could you stop me? You're supposed to be my friend damn it!'

'I am! If you'd have killed Pettigrew it would have eaten you up inside until you weren't Harry anymore.' Neville eyed Harry's wand carefully when more sparks shot out of it. 'Killing Voldemort is a must, he won't stop otherwise, but Pettigrew was your family's friend.'

'He gave up that right when he sold them out to Voldemort.' Harry's grip on his wand tightened. 'He happily gave all of us up to Voldemort on a silver plate. Now he's trying again. And you let him!' Harry raised his wand and pointed it at Neville. 'It's all your fault.'

Neville's eyes widened. 'Harry, put the wand away. You don't want to do this.'

'Stop telling me what I want to do Neville.' Harry's voice was cold. Too cold. He jabbed his wand at Neville. '_Bombarda!_'

Neville's wand was out before the second syllable and he dived out of the way as three golden streaks of magic collided with the wall behind Neville's bed.

'Harry stop,' Neville shouted. '_Protego!_' A translucent blue shield formed in front of Neville. It covered most of his body.

Harry's next spell bounced off Neville's shield uselessly but Harry didn't let up.

'_Diffindo! Impedimenta! Perseco!_' Harry shouted. 'Come on Neville fight back like a damn man! _Ignes!_'

Neville blocked each spell with his shield but it was faltering. Harry's spells were getting nastier the more Neville blocked. This couldn't last much longer unless Neville started fighting back. '_Ventus!_'

Harry scowled as a gust of wind buffeted him back a couple of steps. 'You call that a wind spell Neville? _Ventus Maxima!'_

Neville, shield and all, was sent flying backwards by a two foot wide gale that knocked clocks and books off nightstands by Ron and Dean's beds. Neville rolled over Dean's bed with the wind and landed in a crouch on the opposite side.

'_Coangusto crura!_' A green streak barrelled towards Harry. He batted it away with a quickly conjured shield.

Harry lifted his wand again and jabbed it wordlessly at Neville.

Neville blinked and pointed his wand at a nearby pillow. '_Accio_ pillow!'

The pillow exploded, feathers fluttering in every direction, as Harry's spell made contact just in front of Neville's face.

'_Expelliarmus!_'

Harry's wand left his hand and towards the door as he was knocked to the ground front first.

Hermione was stood in the open door with her wand shaking in her hand as it pointed down at Harry. 'What the hell is going on?' She looked from Hermione to Neville. 'Tell me now.'

Harry lifted himself to his feet and summoned his wand that had been left where it lay on the floor by Hermione's feet.

'Harry –' Neville said.

'Shut it Longbottom,' Harry said. He marched towards the door. 'I'm done with you.'

'You're not going anywhere Harry Potter.' Hermione stood in the doorway and refused to move. 'Not until you tell me what this was all about.'

Harry scowled at her. 'Move Hermione. Now.'

'No.' Hermione crossed her arms and scowled right back. 'Not until you tell me why I walked into you trying to kill Neville.' Her voice was shaking. 'You never use magic unless you're serious. What's wrong Harry?'

Harry's expression softened briefly as his friend looked up at him with her big, frightened eyes. What was he doing?

He looked back over at Neville. The boy was just getting up from the ground. He had a cut across his forehead where he'd connected with something hard and there were several rips and slashes in his clothes.

Oh Merlin. What was he doing?! His chest tightened like a vice was on his back and front and pushing down. His hands were clammy and there was something wet on his face.

He had to get out of here. He needed to think.

'Harry?' Hermione asked in a quiet voice. 'What's going on?'

Harry opened his mouth to speak but couldn't. It was so dry. He felt like he'd swallowed sandpaper.

'Let him go Hermione,' Neville said resolutely.

'But –'

'Hermione,' Neville said with a wince. 'Let him go.'

Neville dropped onto the bed and Hermione rushed to him her wand already moving, casting healing spells without thinking.

Harry looked back at Neville one last time before rushing out of the dormitory like Voldemort himself were chasing him.

What had he done?

* * *

Daphne peered around the corner of the corridor that led to Harry's lab.

When she was sure it was clear she crept around and made a beeline for the door as fast as possible without running.

She'd run over the events in the Great Hall over and over in her mind ever since Harry's name had been called and she just couldn't figure out was going on.

How in Morgana's name was Harry in danger _again_?

The boy was a magnet for it certainly, you spend your childhood with the Boy-Who-Lived as your best friend you learn that lesson very quickly, but this was ridiculous.

How had someone got him into the Triwizard Tournament? Harry wouldn't have put his name in the Goblet that was for damn sure.

He hadn't even tried for the duelling or the Quidditch. That had even surprised her.

Harry loved Quidditch, he lived and breathed the damn sport before he learnt Daphne wasn't that keen on it. The heartbroken look on his face had been so sweet she'd pretended to like Quidditch for a good year until she'd been unable to hide her hate for the game any longer.

She had briefly considered asking him to try duelling anyway.

It was her duty as his best friend to at least try to get him involved in something that would get him good and sweaty. She'd have a legitimate reason to ogle him as well if he was part of the duelling team. Harry was hot as hell when he was sweaty and those uniforms were very form fitting.

She allowed herself a quick smirk as she let that image swim over her brain. Now wasn't the time to be thinking like that.

She'd been terrified when Harry's name had come out of the Goblet of Fire. The fact that he hadn't answered the note she'd sent was even scarier.

Harry always replied. He was Mr Comedian. He'd outlive God to have the last word.

When she finally smelt the distinctive smell of wood-smoke and something she'd never been able to place but reminded her of Potters' House wafted under her nose and a folded piece of parchment landed on her lap she could have fainted in relief.

Not that she fainted. Ever. She wasn't that ridiculous.

Instead she unfolded the parchment hurriedly and read it.

_The lab. Now. Please._

_Xxx_

_PS. Don't bring Tracey._

Daphne was out of bed, dressing gown thrown over her nightie, and running out of her Slytherin dorms before she had blinked. She'd only stopped to cast a Disillusionment Charm over herself when she heard people in the Common Room.

Why Slytherins were in the dungeons she had never figured out. It was cold, especially so in the winter, spooky and so far away from everything but Potions that it took the Slytherins that bit longer to get to classes first thing in the morning.

She was especially irritated now. Harry's lab was on the fifth floor on the far side of the castle from the Slytherin dorms. He needed her as soon as possible and his lab had to be on the other side of the damn castle. She hadn't really thought why Harry had retreated to his lab in great detail. Maybe the celebration the Gryffindors were undoubtedly throwing had been working his last nerve?

He never had liked parties where he was the guest of honour. It was the main reason he always split his birthday with Neville. At least then the attention wasn't solely on him.

She knocked on the locked door.

When there was no answer she knocked again.

No response. She was really beginning to worry now. She looked up and down the corridor and leant against the door.

'Harry? You there? It's Daphne,' she hissed.

Nothing.

Where was he? For that matter where were Neville and Hermione? Shouldn't they be in there with him? Neville most definitely.

He'd asked her to leave Tracey behind. That wasn't too unusual. Harry's note left no doubt in her mind he wasn't in the mood for Tracey's attempt at humour. Neither was she right now to be quite honest.

She was about to knock on the door again when she smacked her head. Silencing wards. Way to live up to your hair colour Greengrass.

She pulled out the piece of parchment he'd sent her and pressed her wand to it. The letters scratched across the parchment in sideways squiggles that were barely legible in the darkness of the corridor.

_I'm here._

She dropped the note and it slid under the door.

There was an unlocking noise and the door swung open.

Daphne rushed in and closed the door behind. She cast several locking charms and her own privacy wards just in case. They were out after curfew after all.

Then she turned to look for Harry.

The room was pitch dark, Harry hadn't even bothered with candles. She could make out the workstations against the wall instead of their usual places. In their place there was a perfect copy of Harry's double bed from home. Harry himself was sat on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands.

'Oh Harry,' she murmured. She cancelled her spell and was at his side a moment later, she ignored the odd feeling of the spell disintegrating around her. 'Hey Harry? Love? It's Daphne.'

She teased one of his arms away from his head and took his hand in both of hers. She gasped at the blood around his knuckles and the little cuts that covered his fingers but regained her composure quickly.

She flourished her wand and was about to set to fixing his hand only to be stopped by Harry's other, similarly injured, hand over her wand.

'Don't.' He'd been crying. His eyes were puffy and red and there were tear tracks down both of his cheeks. 'Leave it.'

What had happened? Had one of the teachers done this? Why did he look so haunted?

'Harry?' Daphne asked, fighting the tremble in her voice. Something was dreadfully wrong. She just knew it. 'What's happened?'

Harry didn't look at her. Scratch that, he couldn't look at her. Now she was really worried.

'Where are Neville and Hermione Harry?' she asked soothingly. She rubbed his hand gently.

Harry flinched as if struck and tried to move his hand from Daphne's. She tightened her grip ever so slightly.

'Hey, hey,' she said with a smile. 'It's Daphne remember? No hiding from the wife. Not allowed.'

'Alright.' He smiled at her but it was hollow. She didn't like that one bit.

'Good, now,' she said. 'Tell me what happened.'

And he did.

He told her about the other champions, about Madame Maxime and Karkaroff, the task, all of it. She sat there and listened attentively, rubbing his hand and kissing his knuckles and murmuring him to keep going. It wasn't until he reached his fight with Neville that he stopped.

'You fought with Neville?' she asked.

Harry squeezed her hand and nodded fearfully.

She didn't ask why. She knew why. Harry had told her all about Wormtail and who he was and what he'd done and how Neville had stopped Harry from doing something he'd regret for the rest of his life.

Daphne had never been more thankful for Neville when she'd heard about that. Because Neville was right. If Harry had killed Wormtail it would have eaten him alive. Her Harry would have been gone and she wasn't sure he'd have come back.

'I hurt him,' Harry said quietly. 'I hurt him Daphne.'

Daphne wrapped her arms around Harry, much to his surprise, and hugged him tightly as the first tears fell into her hair.

She didn't say anything. Couldn't say anything really. What could she possibly say? Yes, yes you did. Like that would help.

She just held him as he cried. That was all she could really do.

Harry cried for what felt like hours. Daphne just kept rubbing his back and his chest, soothing him in the only way she could think of. This was the first time Harry had ever truly broken in front of her.

She'd seen him broken physically of course, him and that damn Quidditch had put her heart on a razor's edge too many times that she'd had to get used to it or risk a coronary. Hell, Madam Pomfrey had seen so much of the two of them she had insisted they call her Poppy.

But this was different. Harry didn't cry like this, he laughed off pain, he perved his way around awkward questions, he cursed someone if he had to. He didn't break down and cry his heart and soul out. Not even with her. This was just wrong.

When he pulled away he looked at his hands. His perfectly healed hands.

He flipped them over in front of him and frowned. 'I thought I said to leave them?'

'You did.' Daphne put a hand on his cheek and smiled. 'And since when do I listen to what you tell me to do?'

'But how?'

Daphne pressed a finger against her lips and kissed it. She tapped him on the forehead and grinned. 'Magic lips babe.'

Harry smiled and enveloped her in a hug. She did _not_ breathe in his scent. She just hugged him.

Daphne hummed. 'Now bed. Big day tomorrow.'

Harry chuckled as Daphne set to removing his bloody shirt and deposited her dressing gown at the foot of the bed. It was only when she noticed Harry eyeing her up that she realised she'd forgotten to put on other clothes. Her purple nightie was rather thin and she was incredibly grateful she'd had the foresight to leave her underwear on for the night. She really didn't want this to be the first time he saw her naked. That had to be a happier time.

Harry double clicked his tongue at her and purred. She blushed and thanked Morgana for the lack of light in the lab.

'Well if you're perving you must be feeling better,' Daphne teased as she pushed past him and climbed into the bed on the furthest side. She could feel Harry's eyes on her bum when she did.

'Says the girl who took my shirt from me,' Harry teased right back.

'It was bloody, what kind of person would let you sleep in that? Now get in the bed Harry.' She patted the side of the bed nearest to Harry.

'Yes dear.' Harry took his trousers off and Daphne's cheeks reddened again. He got into bed and pulled her close to him so her head rested on his chest.

'You did that on purpose,' she muttered into the warm skin of his chest.

Daphne felt his laughter build in his chest and smiled. She couldn't fix the problem but she could at least make him laugh. That would have to be enough.

'Daphne?' Harry asked from above her.

'Yeah?'

He kissed the top of her head.

'Thanks.'

Daphne patted his chest and fought down the blush. Now was not the time to notice how nice that had felt damn it.

'You're welcome Harry.'

He hummed and didn't say anything.

'Harry?' Daphne asked.

He didn't reply. She rested up on her arm and looked at his sleeping face. She sighed and moved his hair away from his face lovingly. He was so gorgeous when he was sleeping, she didn't get enough opportunities to see him like this.

She kissed his cheek and lingered there for a moment.

'Sleep tight Harry,' she muttered against his skin. 'Love you.'

With that she rested back down on his chest and let sleep come.


	10. Reporters Great

**Chapter Ten: Reporters. **_**Great**_**.**

Harry turned as the door into the Hogwarts trophy room opened and Cedric hurried in looking sheepish.

'Sorry I'm late,' Cedric said to Professor Dumbledore. 'I got held up by a staircase.'

'Don't fret my boy.' Dumbledore smiled widely from next to Mr Ollivander, the wandmaker, who was here to inspect their wands and make sure they were fit to be used in the Tournament. 'You aren't the first victim Hogwarts' staircases have made late and you won't be the last.'

Harry raised an eyebrow as the taller boy smiled gratefully and took his place next to Harry in the latest ridiculous ceremony the Triwizard Tournament required. The Weighing of the Wands. As if they didn't look after their wands properly.

Harry cleaned his wand daily and it had led to a lot of very well constructed jokes from Daphne. He and Tracey were both very quick when it came to a lewd joke but Daphne was an artisan. A very suggestive artisan.

'Why were you really late Cedric?' Harry asked between coughs. No one got held up by the staircases after second year, not even Malfoy's dense henchmen. What was Cedric hiding? 'Honestly?'

Cedric blushed and Harry spotted a lipstick smear behind Cedric's right ear when the boy scratched at his curly hair. He didn't need to ask anymore. The older boy was too innocent for his own good. Harry's bet was Cho Chang was slinking back to her class after a very long bathroom break.

'The stairs Harry,' Cedric muttered. 'Just the stairs.'

Harry shook his head but didn't press. He was too preoccupied with the conversation he'd had with his father before they'd gone to see the Headmaster a couple of days after the Goblet had spat out his name and still wasn't quite in the teasing mood.

Harry hadn't seen James that angry in a very long time, not since he'd taken his father's Invisibility Cloak and gone to a Spanish beach with Sirius. Merlin he loved Muggles and their brilliant inventions, like bikinis and sunbathing. Bless them, bless them all.

* * *

Potions had been the usual pattern of a bit of brewing with a dash of snarky comments from Snape to keep things interesting when the dungeon door had slammed open and James Potter stormed in, dressed in full blue and black Auror uniform and his 'work face' as Harry called it.

'What the hell are you doing here?' Snape sneered from the middle of his classroom wanderings. 'I'm in the middle of a lesson Potter.'

James gave Snape a look of utter disdain and stopped at the doorway.

'That's Auror Potter to you Professor Snape.' James' voice was cold. Not mean but certainly aloof. Snape was nothing to James and he wanted to get that across as quickly as possible. 'And I'm here for Harry. Harry?'

Harry nodded and rose immediately. He'd been expecting this. Dumbledore would've contacted James about his forced entrance into the Triwizard Tournament the second he had the chance but James had been away on a mission for the past fortnight according to Remus. Somewhere in Eastern Europe, Romania he thought.

That would explain why James' uniform wasn't clean. Mud was streaked up the side of his robes and combat boots.

'Have you got something in your ears Potter?' Snape spat. The bat-like man rose up to his full height and glared patronisingly at James. It didn't work. 'I'm in the middle of trying to teach your dolt of a son. Auror or not you can't just barge into my lesson and take my pupil.'

James raised an eyebrow at Snape. He strode towards the man and looked him dead in the eye. 'Yes I can. Advantages of being his father. I could take him away from this castle whenever I damn well please.' James' voice was a whisper but it carried across the room easily. 'I am not in the mood for your ridiculous grudge Snape, shut up and do your job and I'll do mine.'

Harry smirked and leant against Daphne. 'Thank you for convincing me to come to Potions.'

Daphne, who had taken Neville's place as Harry's lab partner, hushed him as Snape's face contorted into muted rage. Snape couldn't afford to get into a shouting match with a parent in front of a classroom full of witnesses.

'Fine,' Snape hissed. He was trying his damnedest to look like he hadn't just lost an argument. 'Take him, he was messing up his potion anyway.'

Harry shared an incredulous look with Daphne. His potion was fine. Stupid, bitter arsehole.

James turned on the spot and gestured with his head for Harry to follow him.

Harry abandoned his potions equipment to Daphne, who shook her head and sighed before vanishing his potion and packing up, as he fell in step with James and left the dungeon with James' firm grip on his shoulder.

You did what you were told when James hadn't even bothered with words.

It was a little embarrassing but hell, like his reputation could've gotten any worse at that moment. Most of the school thought he was a cheat and a liar anyway, his dad coming into his classroom didn't even scratch the surface of the shit he'd put up with recently.

The day after he'd been named the fourth Triwizard champion, which was a ridiculous title but at least they hadn't called him the other Hogwarts champion, he wouldn't have been surprised if he'd been teleported back two years to when the school thought he was the Heir of Slytherin. Merlin he attracted some absurd titles. Like The-Boy-Who-Lived wasn't enough?

Everyone but a few choice students from each house, notably anyone who'd spent more than five minutes with him, had done nothing but glare at him and occasionally shoot him an attempt at an insult. You grew up with people like Sirius Black and Alastor Moody and any insult a schoolchild said to you was like water off a duck's back.

If the uninformed masses of Hogwarts wanted to treat him like public enemy number one again he was fine with that. They could shove their stupid badges up their arses as well.

But when the professors started treating him differently that was an actual problem.

Herbology was awkward enough as Neville and he weren't speaking, Harry couldn't bring himself to apologise for cursing Neville. What could he say anyway? Sorry I tried to kill you mate but I sort of blame you for letting the traitor who led to my mother's death get away. And Neville sure as hell wasn't going to apologise he had always been just as stubborn as his best friend. Hermione wasn't speaking to him either. Gryffindor Common Room was getting awfully lonely. It was a good thing he had his lab, he spent most of his free time there now.

He'd had to partner with Ron Weasley in the end as the Hufflepuffs weren't going to let him work with them, morons, and all the other Gryffindors had partners already.

Ron had been wittering on at him about something and not paying attention to the Venomous Wibblebush they were supposed to be weeding back and taking clippings from, for Snape's Potions class apparently. The bush's overactive branches, that Harry had had to use his wand to defend against twice already, took an its opportunity to strike Harry in the face when he finally snapped and turned to Ron to tell him to shut up about the Merlin damned Chudley Cannons.

A long gash across his cheek bled and throbbed angrily as Harry blasted the damn plant into nothing but twigs and leaves.

Professor Sprout, who'd been stood behind him the entire time, had taken fifty points from Gryffindor for the destruction of school property and given him a lecture on self-control in front of all the other students. She'd then given him detentions until he'd finished clipping the other bushes that didn't get pruned by the end of class.

Professor Sprout was the Head of Hufflepuff so he could understand why she was angry with him for taking the spotlight away from her badgers but really?

He hadn't been back to the Herbology classes since.

'So,' Harry asked after they'd been walking for ten minutes in silence. James' face was heavy and his brow was riddled with wrinkles that weren't there last time Harry had seen him. 'How was Romania?'

James sighed and when he turned to look at Harry his work face was gone. 'Belarus. It was cold. Harry …' James stared at him for a long moment and then shook his head. 'Never mind. Come on, Dumbledore's waiting.'

Harry grabbed his father's arm as he was about to carry on walking. He couldn't believe his dad was about to ask what he was about to ask. 'You know I didn't put my name in the Goblet of Fire right?'

James laughed derisively and the weight on his face lightened instantly. 'You think that's what I wanted to ask you?'

Harry's nod made James laugh again as the two Potters started walking in the direction of Dumbledore's office again. 'Oh Harry, I know you didn't enter yourself into this cock up of a tournament.'

James rubbed his forehead and put his mud encrusted hand through his equally dirty hair with a deep chuckle and for a moment he looked boyish, like he did in his photos from Hogwarts.

'Then what?' Harry asked. Why was James laughing? He'd thought it was a fair assumption. James had never ignored Harry's rather large ego when it came to his capabilities and competition. Well he'd expect James to give him the benefit of the doubt but he wouldn't have blamed him if he'd had a moment where he wasn't entirely sure.

'I wanted to ask what you thought you were doing mouthing off to Karkaroff.' James' smile trickled away. He squeezed Harry's shoulder to make him stop as they reached the end of the corridor. James took hold of his shoulders. 'Then Maxime. What were you thinking Harry?'

'I'm not sorry Dad.' Harry stared right back at his father unrepentant. 'They were acting like absolute morons. I still don't think I went far enough.'

'Harry …' James started, looking desperate. How often had they been in this sort of position? 'I know you were only defending yourself and Dumbledore, which I'm sure he appreciates, but he's used to diffusing arguments. Besides what if we needed the help of the other schools when Voldemort rises again?'

Harry scowled. 'Guessing my comment to the French bitch didn't go down well either?'

'I think we should be more worried about you bringing up Karkaroff being a Death Eater,' James said. 'There was uproar at the Ministry.'

Bagman or Crouch must have said something. Oh well, Harry didn't much care.

'Well he's still under suspicion isn't he?' Harry asked nonplussed. 'Moody was pretty quick to react when the bastard went to hit me. Must have thought he was going for his wand.'

'I knew it was a mistake to leave you alone in my cubicle. That knowledge is sensitive Harry.' James scowled but Harry was pretty sure James wasn't angry with him this time. 'He tried to hit you?'

Harry nodded. He'd been surprised actually. Hitting Harry Potter in the middle of Hogwarts? The man really needed to work on his anger control. But why hadn't Dumbledore told James Karkaroff had tried to hit him? James wasn't known for his temper nearly as much as Harry was. Then again, the Auror was very protective of his family. There'd been an incident with an American warlock cult who'd come after Harry when he was five. James had spent a month on suspension when the whole thing had been over. He _still _wouldn't tell anyone what he'd done to the ringleader.

'Dad.' Harry winced as James' grip tightened on his shoulders. 'Dad! My shoulders need to work if I'm going to use my wand any time soon.'

James released him quickly as Harry rolled his shoulders and shook himself.

'Sorry Harry. What did Moody do when Karkaroff tried to hit you?'

'Pretty sure his wand was on the bastard's spine before he'd lifted his arm.'

James nodded slowly. 'Right, right. Well Moody's acting like himself again then?'

Harry really hadn't thought about Moody recently. The whole Triwizard Tournament disaster and his falling out with Neville and Hermione he'd just stopped noticing what Moody was up to.

'I guess. Been busy. Have you talked to him recently?'

James frowned and shook his head. 'No, Belarus took longer than my team planned. I've not even been home yet.'

'I noticed.' Harry made a show of wafting the air in front of him. 'You stink.'

'Shut up Harry.' James rolled his eyes. 'Now before we go talk to Dumbledore, have you got any idea who might have put your name in the Goblet?'

'Is it too Sirius-like to accuse Snape for the hell of it?' Harry asked with a smirk.

James raised an eyebrow at his son and fought back the smile that was dying to come out. Only Harry would joke now.

'Yes. Anyone you seriously suspect?'

'I don't know. My instinct wants to say it's Karkaroff.'

James looked unsure. 'He sounded rather convincingly angry about your entrance into the Tournament Harry.'

'He's been away from Azkaban for years Dad, he's had plenty of time to get really good at lying.' James frowned and tried to interrupt but Harry carried on. 'He is perfectly placed to hurt me if this is Voldemort's work. Which it has to be. There are far too many coincidences for this to be my special brand of bad luck.'

'There's too many variables with all the new students Harry.' James sighed and rubbed his brow with his thumb and forefinger. 'But Karkaroff is the most obvious choice. I'll talk to Moody later, he'll probably have done some digging at Dumbledore's behest.'

Harry nodded, he hadn't considered talking to Moody about this really. He'd thought it best to put as much space between him and the ex-Auror as possible. Though when he thought about it, why else would Dumbledore bring Moody, of all people, to his school other than to keep an eye on a guest whose loyalties could be questioned? To teach children? No way.

Moody wasn't a teacher, he was a slave driver.

James checked his watch and hissed. 'Crap, come on Harry we were supposed to be in Dumbledore's office ten minutes ago.'

Harry let himself be led again and took to the stairs after his dad, who was walking so fast Harry had to break into a jog to catch up a couple of times, his mind awash with new possibilities about who'd put his name into the Goblet.

* * *

With Cedric's arrival Ollivander started checking the four champions' wands to make sure they were fit to be used in the Tournament. Harry begrudgingly had to accept that maybe not everyone was held to the same high standards of wand care as he was and maybe there was actually _some_ logic to this ceremony. Merlin forbid anyone had a disadvantage. That wouldn't be fair!

Not that anyone other than Dumbledore and Cedric gave a damn about fair of course. Cheating in the Triwizard Tournament was almost as much of a tradition as the Yule Ball.

Ludo Bagman with all his self-important flair gestured to the room as a whole. 'Well now Mr Diggory is here we can get on with the Weighing of the Wands!'

Cedric blushed but kept a straight face as Bagman carried on.

'For those of you who don't know,' Bagman eyed him briefly. Harry crossed his arms and gave the overgrown child a distinctly insulted look. He was fourteen for Merlin's sake not four. 'Okay, well um – for the readers of the Daily Prophet and our visiting newspapers …'

Harry tuned out Bagman and eyed the group of journalists, or locusts as he preferred to think of them, for the usual suspects. He recognised a couple of familiar faces from the French paper La Paris Revue and Das Berlin Tagebuch from Germany, there was also the same overly camp man from Teen Witch Weekly. He'd had a couple of awkward interviews with that bloke. He was creepier than Ollivander. Daphne found him amusing though and regularly teased Harry with Jaime Trutt's articles about his love life.

Then there was Rita Skeeter. Oh, how he _hated_ that woman. She'd spent the better part of her career laying into his family for no good reason. She and Sirius had had a one night stand once and Rita had been less than pleased when Sirius had told her in no uncertain terms where she could go.

From there on, any job Remus had gone for, any woman Sirius was involved with or anyone Harry became friends with, would undoubtedly have Rita bloody Skeeter 'reporting' on them. Freedom of the press his arse. Thankfully she'd more or less left James alone. Harry wasn't sure why but he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

The bitch must be having a field day with this latest catastrophe. He glared at the woman, who was in a disgusting lime green robe, which was cut fashionably to resemble a Muggle pantsuit, and watching him like a hawk. She smiled wickedly when she saw he'd noticed her and Harry swiftly reminded himself that he was in a room full of witnesses. Breathe Potter, breathe.

'May I introduce Mr Ollivander?' Dumbledore said to the visitors in the room, everyone else in this room had probably got their wands from the creepy old man and you never forgot where you got your first wand as James always said. 'He will be checking your wands to ensure they are fit to be used in the Tournament.'

Harry watched Ollivander as he stepped up to Fleur who promptly passed him her wand. Ollivander held the lilac bit of wood and magic like the most delicate piece of glass in the world.

'Hmm,' he said eerily. 'Yes, very nice.'

He twirled the wand with surprising nimbleness for such an old looking man and made pink sparks shoot out of the tip when he thrust it to the air.

'Yes, nine and a half inches … rosewood and inflexible … aaand containing a …. Oh my …'

'An 'air from a Veela's ead, my grandmuzzer's 'ead to be precise,' Fleur said, with a flare of pride.

Harry bloody knew it! She was part Veela, a quarter most likely, he couldn't wait to tell Neville … oh … right.

'Well yes,' Ollivander said with a scrutinising look at the lilac wand. 'I've never used a Veela hair myself, I find it makes for temperamental wands,' Harry covered a snort but was caught by Krum. Krum raised one of his heavy eyebrows but didn't say anything. 'But if it suits you …'

The old man flicked the wand with a muttered, '_Orchideous!_' and a bunch of flowers burst forth from the wand and rested in Ollivander's gnarled hand. 'Very well it appears to be in perfect working order.'

Ollivander twirled the wand so the handle faced towards Fleur, who grasped it and the freshly conjured flowers as the old man swiftly moved towards Krum.

'Mr Krum, you next I feel.'

Krum scowled and thrust his wand into Ollivander's waiting hand.

'Ah, a Gregorovitch creation, yes?'

Krum nodded and the slightest bit of a smile appeared on his face.

'Yes, a fine wand-maker, though the styling is never quite to … well never mind …'

Ollivander lifted the wand to his eyes and inspected it minutely.

'Yes, hornbeam and dragon heartstring yes?' he asked Krum with one steady eye, who nodded again. 'Quite thicker than one usually sees … rather rigid … ten and a quarter inches … _Avis!_'

A gunshot sounded off from the black wand and a stream of chirping bird flew from the wand and out of the open window into the watery November sun.

'Excellent Mr Krum,' Ollivander said with a smile and handed the wand back to Krum. 'Oh now … Mr Diggory first I think.'

Harry could've groaned. Surely the creepy old man wasn't trying to build suspense for the papers? Who really cared what his wand was made of? He'd tell them himself if they were that bothered. Unless the crazy old man was going to mention … no, Ollivander couldn't be so far gone that he'd mention about the phoenix feather in his wand being from the same bird as Voldemort's? Rita'd have an orgasm if she found out.

Harry hadn't told anyone about his wand. Only James, Ollivander and he knew that his wand had any connection to that sick bastard and even two other people was too much for his tastes. Even Daphne didn't know.

He'd been horrified as a kid but he'd quickly snapped out of it. It wasn't his wand's fault it had a monster for a relative, he had the Dursleys after all, they sounded rather monstrous themselves.

Besides, he'd done so much good with his wand, defeated Voldemort twice and stopped a basilisk while he was at it.

Used it to hurt your best friend as well though didn't you?

Harry grit his teeth and promptly stamped down on that thought. He watched Cedric hand over his wand and chat animatedly with Ollivander, who looked a damn sight more enthusiastic now he was handling one of own creations.

'Twelve and a quarter inches… ash and pleasantly springy. It's in fine condition, you treat it regularly?'

'Polished it last night.' Cedric grinned.

Harry smirked as Ollivander nodded appreciatively and sent smoky rings into the air with the ash wand. Oh there was definitely some wand polishing done last night, but Harry'd put money his wand wasn't the only wood that had gotten some attention last night.

He was still smirking when Cedric walked back over to him. The larger boy blushed a deep red as he took his place next to Harry. 'Shut up Harry,' he muttered.

Harry just grinned but it quickly died as Ollivander locked eyes with him.

'Mr Potter, if you please.'

'Yeah.' Harry marched forwards and tightened his grip on and offered it up to Ollivander. He felt naked as his wand was plucked from his hand and had to resist the urge to grab it back.

One of his first lessons with Moody had been to never let his wand be taken away voluntarily until he had the skill to use his magic without it. He could summon and banish things with his hands sure, but his wand was still his main weapon. He'd just given it up with at least one Death Eater in the room.

He glowered in Karkaroff's direction but stopped when Ollivander started talking.

'Oh yes, how I remember.' His pale eyes gleamed with unbridled curiosity. 'How very well I remember.'

'Yeah,' Harry muttered to the old man. 'You and me both.'

Ollivander made a little noise of assent and set to inspecting Harry's wand with more care than any of the others'. Much like a Cursebreaker tested enchantments and other defences on ruins and tombs before trying to break them.

'A very unusual combination this one,' he said in a near whisper. Harry could practically feel every reporter in the room staring at the two of them. Rita's accursed Quick Quotes Quill was already out and shaking in anticipation over a notepad. 'Holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches and nice and supple.'

Quills scratched on parchment and Harry wondered if they'd all made note of the other champions' wands as well.

'It appears to be in perfect condition,' Ollivander said, clearly pleased. 'I trust it has served you well?'

Harry nodded but didn't say anything. He didn't trust himself to not say something that could be misconstrued. He eyed the reporters waiting with baited breath.

Ollivander gave the wand a twirl and made a fountain of wine shoot from it before nodding again and handing it back to Harry.

Warmth filled Harry as his magic sang when his skin made contact with his wand. He felt his chest loosen and an easy smile slipped onto his face.

Ollivander watched him unblinkingly for a while before giving him the slightest of nods. 'Great and terrible things Mr Potter. Great _and _terrible things,' he muttered so only Harry could hear.

A claw of ice wrapped around his heart as Ollivander turned away and walked over to stand in the backdrop of the room, leaving him stood clasping his wand in his position in the line.

'Harry?' Cedric asked. 'You alright?'

'Fine,' Harry bit out. He loosened his suddenly tight grip on his wand and slid it back up his sleeve, its weight a familiar comfort. 'Just dandy.'

Cedric nodded, unsure but didn't press it.

'Well now we've completed the Weighing of the Wands ceremony,' Dumbledore said with a look at the waiting reporters that looked more like hyenas than people. 'We should have a few minutes for any questions.'

The reporters strode forward as one and started shouting questions at the four students. Harry was mobbed by three people, one he didn't recognise, Jaime Trutt and Rita Skeeter, her questions drowning out the other three's with ease, while the rest moved to question the other champions and the judges still in the room.

'Harry!' she crooned. Oh how he'd love to hex the bitch. 'Why did you enter yourself into the Triwizard Tournament? Up to more mischief? The rules clearly state that you must be of age to enter but here you are the Hogwarts Champion. My readers deserve answers.'

Harry zeroed in on the horrible woman and set his jaw.

'That's Mr Potter to you Ms Skeeter,' he nearly spat. 'And I will say this once and only once. I didn't enter myself into this Tournament, I personally have no interest in it and Cedric Diggory is the Hogwarts Champion not me.'

'If you have no interest why are you competing? Is Dumbledore bending more rules for his favourite student? My sources in the castle tell me you're in his office every weekend.' Rita was foaming at the mouth and staring at him avidly. 'Is his favouritism the only reason you're still in the school?'

'I see the Headmaster just as much as every other student does. There is no favouritism.' Harry would not be drawn into an argument with this detestable woman. He turned to a reasonably attractive redheaded woman, who could only just be out of school herself, in sea green robes. 'Yes ma'am?'

'Mr Potter,' she said in a slight, haughty French accent. 'Are the rumours that you verbally assaulted the Headmistress of Beauxbatons and Miss Delacour true? If so why?'

Harry nearly groaned. Nearly. Another thing he had expected. He really was starting to regret his actions on Halloween, justified or not.

'Yes,' he said. 'I reacted strongly to my forced entry into this tournament and I lost my temper.'

'Do you regularly lose your temper Harry?' Skeeter interrupted. 'Is it true you fought with your best friend Neville Longbottom afterwards and were seen running from the Gryffindor Tower?'

How on earth did she know about that? Who could have possibly have told her anything about that night? No one in Gryffindor except for Neville and Hermione knew what had happened and they might be angry with him but they wouldn't talk to the press.

So how?'

'Harry? I haven't stumped you have I?' Skeeter's glee was palpable. He must have looked very much like a baby rabbit to her wolf right now. Well he couldn't have that.

'I don't know what you're talking about Ms Skeeter,' Harry said in a sugary sweet voice. Try this on for size bitch. 'Were you seen running from my house when my uncle kicked you out cus you were a crap shag? Or was it just because you're a detestable person? I'm sure the public want to know.'

Rita Skeeter's face went crimson and she scowled at him with more hate than he'd genuinely thought her possible. Damn it felt good.

Jaime Trutt, who looked about ready to burst with joy, was busy scribbling away with his quill. 'Oh Harry darling?' he asked, each word drawn out to be three times as long.

'Yes Mr Trutt?' Harry willed the man to ask the question he had to be asking. He'd give Jaime an in-depth interview about his entire life if the man would just ask what Harry wanted him to ask.

'Is your uncle available for comment?'

Give the man a medal!

'I'm not sure but you could always ask him at the local pub, he spends most of his time there.' Harry put his hand to the side of his mouth and spoke in a stage whisper. 'I think he's trying to get rid of the memory of sleeping with Rita by shagging anything with a pulse if truth be told. Can't blame him.'

Rita snarled at him. 'You nasty little brat. You'll be sorry when I finish my story on you. Let's see what the public think of their spoilt little hero.'

Harry grinned at her mechanically. 'Public goes between hating me and loving me on a daily basis love, all I care about is what the girls think, do I need to worry Mr Trutt?'

The exuberant man chuckled and shook his head. 'No Harry darling, keep looking that good and being the delightfully naughty boy you are and the girls the world over will love you.'

'Thank you Mr Trutt,' Harry said politely before turning to the seething woman. 'Now Ms Skeeter, kindly piss off.'

Harry fought back a laugh as Skeeter stomped away from the three of them. He then turned to the French reporter with a kind smile. 'I believe you have a couple of questions Mademoiselle …?'

'Sophie Amirault, Mr Potter.'

'Mademoiselle Amirault,' Harry said with a nod. 'I regret what I said to Madame Maxime and Miss Delacour. My anger was no reason for me to lash out at them and I will apologise to them when I get the chance. Are there any more questions you wish to ask?'

Sophie looked at him with a look of a wolf looking at a lamb. At least when it was a hot French wolf, as opposed to a middle aged slag wolf, it was a turn on.

'Well now that you ask Harry …'

Harry spent the next twenty minutes answering Sophie's questions, she was a reporter for the French counterpart of Teen Witch Weekly as it turned out, which were rattled off at him like Moody's spells in mid-duel. Fortunately he was well practiced with the kinds of questions. No and comment were two of his favourite words after all.

The look of frustration on Sophie's face as she walked away was so cute that he nearly wished he'd been a little more open with the redhead. Ah well, hindsight is twenty-twenty and all that. He then fended off Jaime Trutt and his questions for another half an hour and, after promising an interview at a later date due to Jaime's help with Skeeter, then managed to look a lot less annoyed than he was for the photographs.

Had he mentioned how much he hated newspapers and their bastarding reporters?


	11. Here There Be Giants

**Chapter Eleven: Here There Be Giants**

Harry growled as the knocking on his door caused him to miscast and get smacked in the face by a tennis ball. He hurriedly froze the tennis ball launcher, which he'd conjured up to help with his target practice, in place before it smacked him in the mouth again. Muggles really did think of the most ingenious things sometimes.

He briefly considered ignoring the knocking, which had stopped now anyway, and go back to his target practice. With the twenty fourth of November careening towards him, and he still not knowing what the hell he was going to have to contend with, he'd decided that the best way to prepare for the unknown was to hit the books and sharpen his spell-slinging to a razor sharp edge.

It was either that or go insane trying to figure out what deadly monster, impossible task or unsolvable riddle was awaiting him. He'd taken out all the books he could on the previous tournaments to refresh his memory and had found absolutely jack shit.

He wasn't the only champion who'd walked out of the Library looking distinctly pissed off though. Harry had nearly been knocked clear off his feet one evening by Viktor Krum as he slouched away as quick as possible from his ever growing set of stalkers, Harry could relate, with a heavily accented 'sorry' and a surly glare. He'd not even had the chance to pick up a book as far as Harry could tell.

With one last look at the now silent door Harry shook his head and lifted his wand to start clearing up the remains of the tennis balls littering the centre of his lab.

The knocking started again as Harry cast his third vanishing spell, more frenzied this time, and Harry stomped over to the door and ripped it open.

'What? I'm busy damn it!'

Cedric Diggory staggered back in shock and scratched at his hair with an apologetic smile. 'Sorry Harry, I wasn't sure you were in.'

Harry let out a sigh and shook his head at the taller boy. 'I was busy.'

Cedric nodded. 'Yeah, I can see that.' Cedric gestured at Harry's workout clothes with a grin. 'Good thing I'm not a second year sent to fetch you for something, I might have fainted. I still might, you stink Harry.'

Harry scowled and sniffed at the sweat soaked vest. Cedric had a point. 'Yeah, good thing. Now is there something I can help you with Cedric?'

Cedric's smile dimmed and then went entirely. He cast nervous looks down the corridor Harry's lab was on. 'Can I come in? This shouldn't be said where anyone could be listening.'

Cedric had never looked so serious, not even on the Quidditch pitch, this had to be bad news.

Great, just want he needed. He was still getting over the crap Skeeter had published in the Daily Prophet. Fame hungry brat indeed. It wasn't Harry's fault he'd blabbed about her sex life, which was apparently a secret, in a roomful of spiteful and opportunist journalists looking to get back at Skeeter for all the garbage she'd passed off as news throughout her career. He didn't _tell _them to report she was a crap shag. He just hoped they would.

Harry studied the tall Hufflepuff like a particularly difficult crossword.

What the hell did Cedric have to tell him anyway? He liked the guy sure, there wasn't a nicer bloke in the castle, but he wasn't his friend. Harry didn't have time to solve his own damn problems let alone Cedric's. Besides, Harry would bet there were literally dozens of adoring fans in Hufflepuff who'd bend over backwards to help Cedric in any way he asked.

'You sure I'm the one you should be bringing your troubles to Cedric? We've only got a couple days until the first task. I don't have loads of spare time.' Harry tried to say it as politely as possible but he wasn't sure he'd managed much less than indifference.

Cedric wasn't dissuaded. He stared at Harry like he was trying to get him to understand the seriousness of his news by look alone. 'No, this is something only you need to hear. You'll want to know I promise.'

Harry relented and moved to the side so Cedric, with one final look down the corridor, could rush into the lab.

Harry slammed the door shut and followed a shocked Cedric into the rest of the room.

Cedric whistled and looked around Harry's expanded lab, courtesy of his Triwizard Tournament Champion status, to be more like a one person flat rather than a classroom. Harry had walked back into the lab after classes on the first of November to find his lab now had a kitchenette, bathroom and living room merged into one. There was even another room that hadn't been there the night before, which had a double bed and a wardrobe. It was the first real perk of being a Triwizard Champion. The view of the Forbidden Forest from his window was pretty cool as well.

Harry had promptly set up shop in the flat. He hadn't been back to the dormitory since his fight with Neville and he intended to take full advantage of the alternate sleeping arrangements if it meant he could avoid Neville and Hermione for even a second longer. He'd only been in the Common Room a few times. When he knew his friends weren't there.

His possessions had been moved in the next day with the help of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team.

He'd got a bit of ribbing for it from the Twins but they'd still helped the 'Gryffindor Champion' as the entire team had called him, much to his irritation. The catcalls about bringing his 'ladies' to his 'private little bachelor pad' had been funny though.

'Whoa, Harry, what happened here? A hurricane or something?'

Harry groaned, in his temper he'd forgotten to vanish the rest of the tennis ball remains. Not to mention the damage he'd done to half the furniture before he forced his anger into something more productive than just destroying the room.

Stupid Rita Skeeter and her stupid articles. He really should stop reading them. Or just the papers in general. He never did like what he read.

'I happened,' Harry said as he brandished his wand and started flicking it at damaged coffee table, ripped open pillows, cracked walls, a turned over lounge chair and a wobbling sofa with light mutterings of '_reparo!' _

Harry gestured to an undamaged stool for Cedric to sit on. 'Do you mind if I shower before we talk Cedric?'

'No Harry, by all means.' The tall boy sat down and watched the room put itself back together with a kind smile. 'I'll busy myself for a bit.'

Harry nodded and headed for the bathroom for a quick shower.

Ten minutes later, in fresh clothing and towelling still damp hair, Harry came out to find his quarters completely repaired and Cedric crouching down by the tennis ball launcher with a pensive look. Harry could practically see the cogs whirring round in his brain as Cedric's mind jumped to the same possibilities for the clever Muggle invention.

'Right Cedric.' Cedric jumped to attention when Harry broke him out of his thoughts. 'What can I help you with?'

Cedric chuckled a little and rested down on the stool Harry had left him on. 'I'm actually here to help you Harry.'

Harry raised an eyebrow and folded his arms across his chest. Help him eh? This ought to be good. After all, shouldn't Cedric be aiming to win this tournament? Hell shouldn't he even be a little mad that Harry had taken some of the spotlight away from the _real_ Hogwarts Champion? 'Oh? That's good of you Cedric.'

'Sound a bit more sceptical Harry.' Cedric smiled ruefully. 'Not everyone from Hufflepuff hates you just because your name came out of the Goblet.'

'Name some names Cedric,' Harry said coolly. Cedric might not hate him, believe his story even, but he was being ridiculously naïve if he didn't think the rest of his house shared his level of belief. 'It's beginning to feel like second year all over again when it comes to your housemates.'

Cedric grimaced and picked at a loose thread in his robes. 'I did try to tell them you didn't enter yourself Harry.'

Harry smiled bitterly. 'Called you gullible didn't they? Good, trusting Cedric, of course he'd believe fame-hungry Harry Potter's cock and bull story. Why wouldn't he? He's so nice!'

Cedric scowled, it looked somehow wrong on a face that was made for smiling, and nodded instead of trusting his mouth not to say words Harry was sure very rarely entered the boy's optimistic brain.

Yeah, Harry thought as much. He couldn't help but feel bad for the bloke. He was far too nice for his own good. Harry hoped he kept that. It'd save him from letting the crap that he was likely to face throughout this tournament bring him down to the cheating and conniving world that the tournament created.

The silence that reigned over them stretched to awkward and Harry could feel his temper waning. He wasn't here to bitch and moan about how the children at this school viewed him. Harry had more important things to do. Like figure out what the First Task was and how he was going to survive it.

But first he had to get the brooding teenager out of his flat.

'Look Cedric, I appreciate you trying to convince your house that I'm not cheating or bending rules but to be frank I don't give a fuck what they think and I never have.'

Cedric blinked, from the language or just the shock Harry didn't know, and looked up at Harry like a deer in headlights. He slowly smiled. 'Well that's true, except for the girls of course, hey Harry?'

'Of course.' Harry grinned wolfishly. Girls were always the exception. 'But you said you came here to help me? So help me and let's both get back to trying to prepare for the unknown threat we've gotta deal with in a couple days yeah?'

Cedric nodded and stood from his stool with the same sense of importance he'd had when he'd walked in. 'You're right Harry. Except it's not a totally unknown threat if you get what I mean.'

And what in Merlin's name did that mean? Had everyone but him been told what was going on or something? Was there some clue he'd missed? He doubted that very much. He'd gone over and over what Crouch had said when they'd first gathered the champions together. There had been nothing hidden in those words. Nothing.

'What do you know Cedric?' Harry asked slowly. Cedric wouldn't be trying to lead him along a wild goose chase surely? 'What's going on?'

Cedric chuckled at the suspicion on Harry's face. He'd always hated when people did that. His suspicion was justified damn it! This was not like when he'd finally started realising Santa Claus wasn't real. Why was Cedric laughing at him in much the same way that his dad had when he'd started asking questions?

'Let me put it this way Harry,' Cedric said. He started for the door and looked over his shoulder at Harry when he reached the door. 'It wouldn't be a terrible idea to go for a walk in the Forbidden Forest tonight, say at the part of the forest nearest the greenhouses? With a Disillusionment Charm on you maybe?'

'What in Merlin's name are you talking about Diggory?' Harry asked just as Cedric grabbed that doorknob. 'What's in the Forbidden Forest?'

Cedric shook his head and grinned widely. 'Just go for a walk tonight Harry. It'll be worth your while I promise.'

And with that Cedric left Harry's flat leaving the younger boy confused and annoyed in the middle of the room.

'What the fuck was that about?' Harry asked no one in particular.

Cedric had to be messing with him, right? What kind of advice was that? Go walking in the Forbidden Forest? At night?! Why did everyone he knew have to drop subtle hints instead of just freaking telling him what was going on?

Harry growled and palmed his forehead. This was bollocks. He didn't have time for this. He'd probably be fighting for his life in a couple of days. Now was not the time for mind games, which frankly he thought Cedric was better than, with so much at risk.

Harry turned away from the door, and was about to summon another book off his shelves, when he saw flocks of birds fleeing the shuddering treetops of the Forbidden Forest.

He paused and moved closer to his window with a bemused frown.

The trees were still and nothing else moved in the growing darkness. Had he imagined it? No. He'd definitely seen the trees moving, there was something in the forest, something big.

With the First Task around the corner and with Cedric's peculiar advice it was too much of a coincidence that something odd was happening in the forest _now_ to be overlooked.

But did he really want to break more school rules on what could be nothing?

The treetops remained still as Harry watched for another five minutes, looked at his watch. It was half five in the evening, it'd be near pitch dark soon.

Harry growled and tore away from the window and marched to his bedroom.

Sod it, what could it hurt to have a look? He wouldn't settle now anyway.

* * *

The newly risen moon loomed amongst wispy clouds as Harry glided towards the greenhouses used in Herbology under his dad's Invisibility Cloak like a ghost.

'Thank you Alastor.' He'd have to remember to thank the old psycho for the stealth training he'd put Harry through the summer before last.

He kept as low as possible, the cloak was big enough to cover him but puberty had been working its magic on Harry and he didn't want to risk being spotted in the Forbidden Forest because he'd gotten so tall that the cloak left his ankles visible. That'd just be embarrassing.

He'd never been more thankful he'd thought to _borrow_, steal was such an ugly word, the cloak. Harry just hoped James didn't notice he'd nicked the Potter family heirloom, again.

James had another Invisibility Cloak that he kept at the Auror Barracks, James Potter was a wealthy man after all, so Harry had liberated the first one from his father's bedroom every first of September since he'd started attending Hogwarts.

He'd been caught last year, James had hit the roof and yelled at him for a good ten minutes about his irresponsibility and disrespect towards his ancestors. He certainly didn't want to sit through that again. Harry didn't think he'd be able to hide his boredom twice.

Oh well, if he found out this time James might take it better. If whatever was causing a commotion in the forest was something to do with the tournament, Harry could make a damn good argument about the advantages of him having the Cloak with him. It could be solely responsible for saving his life.

Yeah, that'd work.

Harry cast a mumbled Silencing Charm on himself as he approached the greenhouses and heard the sound of people talking.

Harry laid himself flat against the green tinted glass of the largest greenhouse and inched his way to the corner of the building.

'Got everything Gideon?' Professor Sprout said from just inside the greenhouse.

Harry mouthed 'fuck!' and snapped his head back around the corner on instinct. Just his luck, Professor Sprout had to be at the greenhouses tonight. What the hell was Cedric playing at sending him down to the forest now?

It took Harry a couple of seconds to remember he was under a freaking Invisibility Cloak. Good thing they couldn't see his face, it was so red right now Professor Sprout might have mistaken him for a tomato or something. Sirius would freaking love this.

Professor Sprout as she left the doorway with her wand aloft and floating several gigantic bags of 'Merryweather's Magical Fertilizer!' in front of her.

'Yeah Pomona, got all the fertilizer they could possibly need.' Gideon, a muddy man from the shade of his hair to his mud-encrusted boots, wiped at his forehead as he followed Professor Sprout with several bags of fertilizer floating behind him. 'Whose bright idea was it to grow a beanstalk in the middle of a forest anyway?'

Beanstalk? What in Merlin's name? Harry waited for the two adults to start towards the forest before he stalked after them.

A beanstalk? Was this what Cedric had been trying to tell him about? The First Task was about a beanstalk? What were they supposed to do? Climb it and the first person to the top would win? That didn't sound too bad.

'Well they wanted to use some of the British and Irish folk stories for the First Task.' Sprout didn't look back at Gideon but kept heading for the forest. The muddy man following behind looking quite put upon that he was being left in the metaphorical dust by a plump old woman. 'Bran the Bloodthirsty is one of Britain's most famous giants. Even the Muggles know about him. They tell the stories about him to their children as bedtime stories.'

'I know the story of Jack and the Beanstalk Pomona,' Gideon said shortly. He sped up to walk next to her. 'I'm Muggle-born remember? I just want to know why they had to try and grow a beanstalk big enough to support a wood cottage in the middle of an overgrown and monster-ridden forest that's older than the castle itself!'

Okay, so Cedric wasn't screwing with him. This was definitely about the Triwizard Tournament.

Harry's brain was already running off possibilities for what the task might actually be. The First Task tended to be about getting an item from somewhere or something. Take an egg from a clutch of dragon eggs guarded by an actual dragon or steal a sword from the camp of a Goblin horde. Something ridiculous like that.

Huge beanstalks and a cottage at the top of it. Sprout had mentioned the story of Jack and the Beanstalk as well. James had read him that story, both Muggle and Wizard versions, when he was a kid. There could be a giant goose at the top that they had to take a golden egg from? That'd fit in.

Hell there could even be an actual giant. That'd meet up to the insane standards for danger in the Triwizard Tournament for sure. A giant. He nearly laughed at the absurdity of it. How would they even manage to get a giant from the safe confines of their camps in the Alps? Convincing one to leave to put itself amongst _thousands_ of wizards alone would be impossible, let alone transporting one across Europe without anyone hearing about it.

No, Harry was pretty sure there'd be no giants to deal with in a couple days. Thank Merlin, he'd no idea what he'd have done if he had to face down a damned giant.

They were at the border of the forest soon enough and Harry debated leaving Gideon and Professor Sprout here. What else could there be to learn? He could go back to his flat and spend the next couple of days working on his upper arm strength and reading about beanstalks. If there was a golden goose he'd reckon he could deal with that as well.

Sprout and Gideon's voices got fainter and fainter as Harry stood at the treeline of the Forbidden Forest. He turned back to stare at the castle and thought of the warmth of his bed. The Cloak might be keeping him from being seen but it wasn't made for keeping in the heat. It was chilly and it would only get colder the further he went into the forest.

He'd been in there at least once a year so far and each time the place seemed to suck the heat out of you the further you went like it was feeding on you, it could very well be. The place was rich with old magic. Old and feral, it would take magic where it could and add it to its own. That's what old magic did.

No, he had what he'd come for. He'd remember to thank Cedric for sending him here and then spend his remaining days practicing on spells that could help him up a beanstalk.

Harry had already taken three steps back towards when he heard shouting, loud thudding that sounded like a fallen tree hitting the dirt and a single guttural bellow followed by the squawking and flapping of birds as they rose from their roosts in a flurry.

Harry broke out into a run towards the noise with his wand drawn and the Cloak wrapping around him like a lover in the throes of passion, his suddenly pale skin flashed in the moonlight as the fabric occasionally flapped away from his body.

The shouting had stopped when Harry reached the first clearing but what he found made his stomach jump into his mouth all the same.

On the ground, spread from one side of the clearing to the other, was a humanoid shape, about twenty feet long, a mess of leaf brown hair and beard covered it's face and it was dressed in make shift clothing made out of straw and ivy. Its breath came out in wisps of air from its cave-like mouth. Its hands were as big as Harry himself and covered in defensive cuts and bruises.

A giant. A _giant!_ What in Merlin's name were they playing at? They'd brought a giant to a school full of _children_. What would they have done if it had got free and gone at the castle? Dumbledore had truly gone round the bend.

As if by thinking of him Harry had summoned the man, Dumbledore appeared and approached the downed giant with his bone white wand still drawn.

'Is everyone alright?' Dumbledore's eyes were like blue fire. Suddenly Harry was back in the Headmaster's office with Ginny Weasley hiding behind him. 'Pomona?'

Professor Sprout peeked around the beanstalk, which was as thick as several oak tree trunks and rose up and out of the treetops. Harry marvelled at the colossal plant. They'd actually grown a beanstalk large enough to support a giant. Sweet Merlin.

'I'm okay Albus, Alastor grabbed me just before it swung the tree.' Sprout pointed at the downed tree on that had only just missed the beanstalk. 'Thank you Alastor.'

Moody limped from his cover and patted the woman on the shoulder while he attempted a reassuring smile. 'Don't worry about it Pom …' Moody's magic eye, which had been rolling around in his head, zeroed in on Harry and held him in place.

Merlin's saggy bollocks! How could he have not thought Moody would be around when he'd seen the downed giant? Moody was a powerhouse and if Dumbledore was trying to manage a giant he'd have Moody on hand.

And now Moody had seen Harry where he shouldn't be. He was so rumbled. That magic eye of his let him see through everything. Walls, ceilings, floors even Invisibility Cloaks. Harry pulled the cloak around him more tightly and ducked down into the long grass on instinct and started backing away. Maybe if he moved away quick enough Moody would think his mind was playing tricks on him.

'Alastor?' Pomona said worriedly. 'Are you okay?'

Moody mouthed something that Harry didn't catch before the ex-Auror turned back to Sprout with his horrific smile and nodded. 'I'm fine Pomona, Albus is that bloody thing still alive?'

Harry's heart was beating like a jackhammer against his chest as Dumbledore stared at Moody and then where Harry was stood held his stare for a long moment.

Surely Dumbledore couldn't see him too? The old wizard might be the most powerful man to draw breath in a good century but he couldn't see through Invisibility Cloaks. Could he?

Dumbledore's mouth was a line when he inspected the giant, Harry breathed in deep relief when the Headmaster's eyes were off of him, and nodded in satisfaction when the monster groaned in pain as it rolled on its back.

'Gurlug is alive, yes.' Dumbledore waved his wand and the giant started to float off of the ground. 'I hadn't expected him to wake up so suddenly. I am sorry everyone.' Dumbledore frowned at the group of people around the clearing that Harry hadn't noticed beforehand. 'Now if you'd all help me float him to the cottage at the top so he may heal in time for the First Task?'

More wizards and witches drew their wands and pointed them at the giant, Gurlug Harry reminded himself, without hesitation. Sprout and a very shaky looking Gideon, who had been crouched behind the beanstalk as well it seemed, turned to tend to the beanstalk. Gideon's wand shaking in his hand as he went.

Moody's eye was still staring at him though. Harry felt cool dread trickle down his neck like a broken egg. The ex-Auror was gonna rip him apart for this. He just knew it. Maybe not at the school but when he next saw the man over summer Moody would have him dodging lethal spells for weeks. Weeks!

If he even survived to summer. Harry couldn't fight the fear that had gone from his neck and rested in his belly. A giant. How was he supposed to beat that?

'Go boy!' Moody mouthed at him, his eyes both wide as coins now. 'Be in my office tomorrow. We'll talk then. Just bloody go!'

Harry didn't need telling twice. He legged it from the clearing before the giant had broken the treetops and didn't stop until he was in the bedroom of his makeshift flat.

He was _so_ dead.


	12. Fee Fi Fo Fum

**Chapter Twelve: Fee Fi Fo Fum**

Professor McGonagall's pinched face appeared in the entryway of the tent.

'It's your turn Mr Diggory,' the Scotswoman said through gritted teeth. It would appear the last two champions' turns up the beanstalk and dodging a sleeping giant had been equally taxing to watch as it was for Cedric and Harry to listen to.

The champions had been taken down to a tent on the border of the Forbidden Forest with the five judges just after breakfast and tried to act unsurprised as Barty Crouch told them they'd be climbing a beanstalk and then sneaking through a giant's home to take a golden egg from the golden goose and then climb back down the beanstalk.

Harry and Cedric had shared a brief look of muted terror mixed with grim acceptance. Harry hadn't been surprised when Krum and Delacour didn't react at all. Karkaroff probably told Krum the second he found out they'd be dealing with giants. Harry half expected the cheating bastard had told Krum to kill the giant or at least anger it enough that whoever came up after him got brutally murdered before they crossed the threshold.

Not that he'd expect that of Krum. Of what little Harry had gathered on the Bulgarian he seemed like a decent enough bloke. However, six years of Durmstrang education? Merlin only knew what he was capable of.

And Harry would bet his left bollock Fleur had known just as long. Maxime was far too big to be entirely human, just like Hagrid, and the big Frenchwoman probably wasn't happy that giants were being used in the Tournament. People might start asking awkward questions about her own parentage.

So it was a pretty safe bet that the two foreign champions had cast iron plans on what to do courtesy of their respective Headmaster or Headmistress. Had he mentioned cheating was more a tradition of the Triwizard Tournament than anything else? They had plans.

'Ladies and gentlemen! Boys and girls!' Ludo Bagman's voice boomed around the tent, making Cedric and Harry jump a little. 'Now that Mr Krum has been safely escorted to the medical tent let's hear a big cheer for Hogwarts first champion, Mr Cedric Diggory!'

Cedric trembled with anticipation and grinned at Harry as all around them the crowd, who couldn't possibly be near the beanstalk itself, chanted Cedric's name over and over again.

'Mr Diggory,' McGonagall snapped from the tent flap. 'Now please.'

Cedric nodded and balled his hands into fists as he marched towards the flap. When he reached the entrance he turned to Harry.

'Wish me luck Harry,' Cedric said.

Luck. Yeah, Cedric was going to need it. He just hoped for the Hufflepuff's sake that the giant was still asleep.

'Good luck,' Harry said. 'Don't choke, I placed a bet with the twins that you'd win.'

Cedric let out a single gun-shot laugh. 'I'll do my best.'

'Do.'

Harry watched Cedric's back, the white letters of Diggory shined on the black and gold uniform of the Hufflepuff Champion, as he exited the tent and the flap unravelled back down leaving him alone in the tent.

'Diggory! Diggory! Diggory!'

Harry closed his eyes, forcing out all the sounds of the crowd, Bagman and even the twittering of the birds outside the tent. He needed to calm himself or he'd never pull this off.

The only sound Harry could hear now was that of his own heartbeat.

The other champions had been so relaxed before it was their turns, well, not relaxed, but they hadn't been climbing the walls. That was because they had plans. But they weren't the only ones with a plan.

Harry did too.

* * *

Harry rolled his shoulder back making the entire left side of his body dip and turn to avoid the bolt of magic barreling towards him.

Moody's spell splattered across the stone wall of his office in a flash of red.

'You're getting slower old man,' Harry smirked. He sidestepped the lazy follow up hex and closed Moody's office door.

Moody was sat at his desk, his fake leg rested on a stand on the corner of the desk, his wand pointed at the door still.

'You're just getting faster Harry,' Moody said gruffly but there was a sense of pride in his overall demeanour. He pointed his wand at the empty seat opposite him. 'Now sit down.'

Harry tentatively took the proffered chair and inspected the office properly. The last time he'd been in here he'd been a bit busy yelling at Moody for what he'd put Neville through. Merlin that felt like years ago not a couple of months.

The walls were stone, the floor was as well, and there were bookcases lining the walls. It was a typical teacher's office. The little differences were key though.

Like Dumbledore's office there were little devices dotted around the room. Unlike Dumbledore's though Harry recognised most, if not all, of Moody's magical objects. You spend enough time around Aurors you'd start recognising Dark Detectors on sight.

The three darkened faces in Moody's travel size Foe-Glass, which sat next to his fake leg stand, stared and shouted wordlessly at them before disappearing back into the blackness.

A giant Sneakascope span rapidly on a shelf over Moody's compartmented trunk, the trunk itself shook a little every now and then. He'd ask what was making it shake but after years of knowing him, Harry didn't want to know what Moody was keeping under lock and key. The trunk had been used as a temporary prison more than once if Moody was to be believed. He usually was.

'So Harry,' Moody said, his wand was still in his hand but now it was pointed at the ground. 'Tell me how you knew to be in the Forbidden Forest last night?'

Guess Moody had decided to forgo the supposed cover they'd been trying to maintain. Dumbledore must have spoken to him as well. It didn't seem worthwhile to hide anything if the person they were worried about finding out didn't actually care.

Harry watched Moody carefully though. Why had he taken his leg off? The only time Harry had ever seen Moody take his leg off was when James had taken Harry to check on Moody. The old Auror had been bedridden and couldn't even muster the magic to summon his leg from its stand on the bedside table.

Moody _never_ took his leg off anywhere else. Not even at Christmas around Potters' House. What would he bloody do if dark wizards broke in while they were eating? He'd be left rolling on the bloody floor like a grounded fish. The leg stays on lad.

He nearly asked the Auror about it but Moody interrupted him.

'Harry, just bloody tell me, you know this tournament is rife with cheating. I'm not exactly going to put you in detention for trying to level the playing field.' Moody's real eye rolled as Moody waited for his answer expectantly.

'A friend told me it'd be a nice time for a walk.' Harry grimaced. He could see the forest from Moody's window. 'Gotta admit my walk was ruined a bit by what I stumbled across. What the fuck old man?'

'A friend huh?' Moody growled but his face contorted into his horrible smile. 'Lad, you may be able to lie through your teeth better than half the recruits in the Academy, but you're rather thin on the ground when it comes to friends recently. How's Longbottom by the way?'

'Piss off.'

The only indication Harry had on what Moody thought of his outburst was the horrible smile widening a little. Moody's magic eye rolled around his skull like it was scanning the bookcases on the walls around him.

'Don't tell me then. What are you gonna do about the giant eh lad? Or climbing the beanstalk?'

'Fuck knows about the giant. I'm gonna wing it.'

Moody chuckled harshly but nodded. 'What about the beanstalk?'

'Climb it obviously.' Harry was getting more than just a little bit annoyed with the decrepit arsehole. What was he supposed to do about a freaking massive beanstalk? The Ascendio charm would only get him so far. He could use it to get to the top but he'd be so knackered when he got to the giant's house the thing would crush him in seconds. Hell he'd probably pass out from magical exhaustion before the thing noticed he was there.

'Stop being a smart arse Potter,' Moody said disapprovingly. 'I'm not interrogating you I'm trying to help. Have you got any ideas what you're going to do about the beanstalk?'

Moody wanted to help? Thank Merlin.

Harry slumped forwards in his chair and let some of the tension that had been building in him go. 'I don't know Alastor, I was thinking the Ascendio charm could get me up there or I could summon my broom, but that might not work. It could be too far away to work.'

Moody hummed and his eye froze in place. He lifted his wand and pointed it at one of the bookcases without turning around.

'_Accio,_' Moody said and a book flew onto the desk between them. Moody picked it up and rifled through the pages until he found the page he was looking for. He nodded and turned it to face Harry. He jabbed a finger at the page. 'Read here.'

Harry's eyes scanned the page resignedly. Harry had read every book he could think of in the last twenty four hours. What could Moody have found?

His eyes widened as he finished reading and his mouth fell open as he looked up at the smirking man.

'Will this work?' Harry asked. 'I mean really?'

'Put enough power behind the spells? It should at least get you most of the way.' Moody scratched his chin. 'Should.'

Harry didn't care. If it'd get him even some of the way he'd take it. One down, one to go.

'What about the giant?' Harry asked. He could already feel his sudden cheer nose-diving again. How was he supposed to fight a giant? 'I mean, I can't exactly stun it can I? My spells would bounce of its skin, they'd be more like bee stings than anything.'

Moody leant forwards and stared at him intently. 'Who told you'd have to fight the giant?'

'But I saw Dumbledore float the thing to the top of the beanstalk. There's a house up there, what else would we have to do?' Harry frowned. He'd been sure that's what he'd have to do. Climb the beanstalk, beat the giant and come back down. He hadn't considered he'd get further than climb the beanstalk anyway.

'For such a smart lad, you aren't half stupid sometimes Harry, James would be disappointed.' Moody sighed and rustled around in his desk. 'Ah gotcha.'

Disappointed? Harry scowled. His dad wouldn't be disappointed in him! What the hell else was Harry supposed to think? Then again, the first task of most tournaments tended to be an item gathering quest of some kind. It was odd they'd changed it for this one.

Harry was about to make a snarky comment at Moody when the ex-Auror dropped another book down in front of him and promptly shut Harry up.

'Jack and the Beanstalk,' Harry muttered. The thin book had a picture of a boy in medieval clothes, with a goose under his arm, running away and looking up at a giant leafy beanstalk.

His brain ran round in circles. Yeah, giants and beanstalks, was he supposed to look for an axe or something? No that couldn't be it. Think Potter, what else was there about that story? Didn't Jack come back from the giant's house with something? If only he could think.

'Oh!' Harry shouted. It was so obvious. 'Oh! Of course, why didn't I think of that?'

'Because you've been too focused on the giant to think what it might be guarding lad,' Moody said. He scowled. 'Will you never learn to be more vigilant? Dumbledore would've never have you facing an actual giant. Dragons maybe, but never actually taking on a giant. You should have known to think outside the box. Where you going?'

Harry had jumped to his feet and made it to the door while Moody had been on his rant. 'Look I'd love to stay and listen to you yell at me old man.' Harry stopped in the doorway and grinned fiercely. 'But I have some planning to do.'

* * *

'Potter?'

Harry's head snapped up and his hand gripped onto his wand mid-twirl. How long had he been twirling his wand? He didn't even remember taking it out of its holster. Weird. 'Yes Professor?'

McGonagall frowned at him. 'It's your turn Potter.'

Harry forced himself to his feet, Merlin how he'd rather stay sat on the bench, and rolled his shoulders. 'Right. How'd Cedric do?'

McGonagall stared at him. 'You weren't listening?'

Harry shook his head and tightened his grip on his wand.

'He did fine. He's just in the medical tent now.' McGonagall looked like she wanted to say more but didn't. 'They're waiting for you Potter.'

'I bet.' Harry stopped at the tent entrance and stared out into the cleared out path that had to lead to the bottom of the beanstalk. 'Well let's get this over with.'

Harry and McGonagall walked down the grassy path in step with each other. The gnarled trees stood like sentries along the side of the path. It was impossible to see much on either side even in the day. The dark was enveloping and Harry would bet his wand he'd be lost in the forest within minutes if he tried to force his way through.

'And last but certainly not least we have the fourth, and youngest, Triwizard Tournament,' Bagman's voice boomed around McGonagall and Harry as they walked down the path. 'Harry Potter!'

'Twat.' Harry shot a look at McGonagall, who got whiter with every step they took. 'Sorry professor.'

'While I don't approve of your language Mr Potter,' McGonagall said after a moment. 'I can hardly fault your sentiment. He always was a foolish boy.'

Harry tried not to smirk. It wasn't hard, he was walking towards a recreation of Jack and the Beanstalk after all, Merlin how was the giant sleeping through all this noise?

'Potter, Potter, Potter.'

Where the hell was all that chanting coming from? Now he was outside of the tent the shouts of the spectators actually sounded close by but they couldn't be. When he'd snuck down a couple of nights ago there hadn't been anything like stands or seats for the sheer mass of people who'd fill them.

He just couldn't think of anything short of them ripping out part of the Forbidden Forest, which they couldn't have done without him noticing surely? Then again, he hadn't even spoken to Daphne since he'd seen Moody so maybe he'd just missed it in his panic?

'Professor?' Harry asked. McGonagall would know. 'Where's that chanting coming from? It sounds nearby.'

McGonagall grimaced. 'They tore out large sections of the Forbidden Forest to erect makeshift stands Potter. Professor Sprout was very upset with the Headmaster for defacing such an old and magical forest. The centaurs were far from pleased as well.'

Harry shook his head, this was ridiculous. All this danger and damage for a stupid competition? For glory? Idiots the lot of them.

They walked the rest of the way in silence, Harry could barely hear himself think by the time the stands came into view anyway, he just kept going over his plan in his mind.

Just before the entrance to the arena McGonagall put a hand on Harry's shoulder.

'Yes professor?' Harry turned to her. She'd almost gone completely white. Was this the moment she tried to convince him to walk in and just give up? He'd been expecting it since he'd seen her this morning at breakfast. She had to know he had every intention of winning though.

'Good luck.' She was shaking a little when she pulled her hand back. 'Harry.'

Harry nodded at her one last time and walked into the arena, his wand gripped tightly in his hand.

No wonder Professor Sprout had been angry about the arena. The damn thing was huge! The amount of trees they must have cleared to fit the circle shaped wooden structure into the forest wasn't even worth thinking about.

'There he is! Potter has entered the arena floor!'

Harry glared up into the stands that were so tall Harry couldn't make out the people sitting in them, if it weren't for the blocks of colour here and there he wouldn't even be able to guess where the students were and where the other spectators were. They must have been made so high so they could get a clear view of inside the giant's house.

He stopped to wonder how they could see inside the house either but time was ticking and Bagman was talking again.

'… as with the other champions Potter's performance will be marked by the five judges which will affect his overall standing in the tournament …'

Resisting the urge to flip the crowd off Harry got closer to the massive beanstalk. The wonder of Herbology was at least ten times thicker than a man, which made sense considering what the plant had to support, and a muddy brown colour instead of the typical green.

The base of the beanstalk had long gashes, about as wide as a grown man's foot, in the clear pattern of footsteps. It had to be the way Cedric had climbed up.

Viktor had just summoned his broom and flown, what else had they expected from a professional Seeker? So the damage to the beanstalk wasn't him. Fleur had Apparated from platform to platform. Boring but effective.

Merlin only knew what Cedric had done to cause those grooves. Harry made a point to ask the Hufflepuff what he'd done. If he survived.

Harry breathed deeply and pressed the tip of his wand against both his feet in turn with a muttered '_wingardium leviosa_' for each foot.

'Merlin I hope this works,' Harry said.

He straightened back up and grinned as he started to float a couple feet off the ground.

'Potter appears to be using the … Levitation Charm? Interesting choice. Maybe he wants to float himself up to the first platform? That could be time-costly and that'll cost him points as we saw with Miss Delacour.'

Harry ignored Bagman. Like he cared about points. The first platform wasn't too far off the ground. Ten feet maybe? He lifted his wand to point at it.

'_Ascendio!' _Harry shouted, his voice drowned out by the roaring wind that wrapped around his body as he rocketed through the air.

As his feet touched the solid wood of the first platform the crowd roared its approval.

Harry stared back over the side of the platform and whistled.

'It actually worked.' He shook his head and smirked. Despite that he was heading towards a freaking giant and getting further and further away from safety, that had still been fucking cool!

Harry tapped the bottom of his shoes again and aimed for the next platform with his wand as he began to float.

'_Ascendio!_'

* * *

Harry nearly collapsed when his feet landed on the sturdy wood of the front porch of the giant's house. Well house might be a bit of a reach.

'Potter is at the door of the giant's platform! After that impressive combination of the Levitation and Ascension Charm it's a wonder he can even stand!' Bagman's voice boomed even louder now Harry was on the same level as the stands. 'Let's see how he deals with the giant with a severely depleted magic supply!'

Platform was right. Harry had been expecting a hut for the giant, filled with wards and protections built into four walls so the giant couldn't escape and run amok amongst the crowds. They wouldn't be able to see but there wouldn't be a twenty foot giant killing the children of Wizarding Britain.

However common sense was yet again a non-event in the Wizarding world. The people needed to see the giant after all, what would they do if they missed the squishy death of another human being? They had to see!

So the house was actually more like a thirty foot by thirty foot platform with four thick stone pillars on the corners and an interlacing net of wooden beams as thick as Harry was tall acting as a makeshift roof. The flooring had seemed to sprout from the top of the beanstalk as Harry had jumped up as well. There weren't any walls though. If he fell from the platform all there'd be left of him would be a Harry shaped smear at the bottom of the beanstalk.

The giant was sleeping restlessly, something Harry was not encouraged by, but still sleeping all the same. It was tied down by heavy wrought iron chains … that were already giving off a strong bluish glow, weird, on a humongous bed that took up most of the platform. The only other thing on the platform was a counter that could easily have been as tall as the giant's waist. And Harry had thought he wouldn't have to do anymore jumping. More fool him he supposed.

On the counter though was the champions' true prize.

Sat in a, now three quarters empty, solid golden goose shaped egg cup was an equally shiny golden egg. Harry was still kicking himself for forgetting about the golden goose that laid golden eggs in Jack and the Beanstalk. How many times had his dad read him that story?

Harry struggled to recapture whatever breath he could, he'd passed through some angry clouds a couple of platforms back and gotten rather wet while doing so, while gripping his legs tightly, his fingers digging into the meat of his calves to keep him from actually collapsing from exhaustion. Pain had always been a good motivator to keep yourself awake after all.

'Okay Potter, just get the egg then you can get the hell away from a freaking giant,' Harry wheezed. He breathed out in a short breath and broke into a run towards the counter. He daren't look at the giant as he ran. He wasn't sure his legs would continue to work if he did.

However as he passed between the two pillars nearest him, to the cheers of the crowds, a horrible sensation of ice cold water running down his spine hit him. He recognised the feeling instantly and froze in place.

There had been wards cast all over the platform. They'd been set up as an invisible web between the pillars to keep the noise from outside the giant's domain waking up its inhabitant.

Now he was on the other side of the wards Harry was hit with the simple fact that he'd been wrong about the giant being asleep.

What he'd mistaken for restless sleep was actually the giant fighting against its chains. Thankfully the giant hadn't managed to break them yet but it was giving it one hell of a good go. All the while the giant was grunting and snarling in pain.

Who'd woken it up? He was supposed to be sneaking around a _sleeping_ giant. Krum? Fleur? Cedric wouldn't have. Hell Cedric probably went whiter than he was now if the giant was awake when the tall boy got past the wards.

Why hadn't Dumbledore put it back under? All the judges had to know the giant was awake. They had front row seats. Harry glared up at the old man in his centre place on the judges' table. He really wished he hadn't. Dumbledore's ice cold gaze was something he'd never wanted to be on the receiving end of. Thank Merlin Dumbledore wasn't looking right at him. It was then that he realised why Dumbledore hadn't put the giant back to sleep.

Dumbledore couldn't interfere with the task once it had already started. Especially when it was Harry's turn. It'd look far too much like cheating even for this tournament. As a judge he'd have to sit and watch impartially as Harry put himself in danger again.

Harry couldn't take his eyes away from the thrashing giant especially the chains around its middle and arms. What the hell was he supposed to do if that thing got free? The chains were already glowing blue!

Enchanted metal only ever glowed if the enchantments were nearing breaking point. It was an early warning system. If the enchantment was glowing blue the spell was about to wear off.

What the hell was he supposed to do now?

He could walk away. Just turn around and forfeit the task. It'd disappoint the crowd and he'd be in last place but he'd be alive. Yes that would be the smart choice.

But Harry had never claimed to be smart. Besides, he needed that egg.

Harry willed his legs to work again and sprinted across the room, not even trying to hide his footsteps. There was no way the giant could hear him running over the sounds of its own struggling anyway so why waste time by sneaking around?

Harry raced across the room much quicker than he'd expected, the residual magic from so many levitation charms in such a short period of time had literally made him lighter on his feet. He'd have to remember that.

Once he reached the counter, which looked much larger now he was up close to it, and thrust his wand into the air and shouted '_Ascendio!_'

The air tightened around him and Harry struggled to breathe as he rocketed to the top of the counter. He'd been an idiot and forgotten that this high up there was less air for him to travel through and with his magic running low it wouldn't be able to make up the difference.

His heartbeat throbbed in his ears like he was stood next to a Muggle speaker while a rock band was playing as his heart tried to make up for the sudden lack of oxygen by pumping more blood through his system. Altogether, it hurt like a bitch.

Harry tripped as he landed on the counter and recovered into a sloppy roll until he was on all fours gasping for breath.

'Fucking hell,' Harry said between breaths. 'Note to self, don't do that again.'

Harry forced himself to his feet and walked towards the last egg left.

It was about the size of a Quaffle and, despite the apparent solid gold casing, it weighed about the same as well. With a shrug he tucked the egg under his arm and turned to leave.

Only to find the giant staring right at him. It looked pissed.

'No shit Potter, how would you feel if you woke up chained to a bed?' Harry glanced down at the floor. It was quite far down. He _could_ jump it, but that would probably go drastically wrong and then he'd have to make it to the door with busted legs, at best, with a pissed off giant that had caught him nicking something. Not a good idea.

He'd have to float down, it'd be slow going but he wouldn't nearly kill himself. Besides, the giant wasn't going anywhere.

Harry maintained eye contact with the giant and walked to the edge of the counter. He tapped his feet with his wand and stepped off the counter. Maybe he'd score back some of the points he'd lost by taking his time if he gave the giant some attitude? Not that he really wanted to win this tournament.

If he was honest he just wanted to beat Delacour. He still hadn't got her back properly for her little boy jibe. Bitch needed putting in her place, losing to a fourteen year old should just about do it.

As Harry began floating down the giant started thrashing again. The chains shone with blue light as they were stretched to their limit.

'Come on,' Harry said with an anxious look at the slowly approaching ground. 'Float faster damn it.'

Once Harry's feet touched the floor he was off towards the door again at full sprint. It hurt. He shouldn't be running but he'd be damned if he stayed in the giant's hut any longer than he absolutely had to.

Harry had only made it halfway to the door, just in front of the giant's bed, when it roared and a bright blue flash glared from Harry's left. He didn't stop running until the sound of clinking chains hitting a wooden floor resounded around the room.

Harry skidded to a stop at the foot of the giant's bed just in time to see it's legs swing over the side. The giant sat up in the bed and breathed heavily in its rage. It glared at Harry and with rumbling movements stood to its full height and towered over him.

The giant was free. The giant was stood up. The giant was staring right at him.

'Oh bugger.'

Harry ran for his life.

The giant was in quick pursuit, several of Harry's steps only came up to one giant footstep, and the giant was soon right on his heels.

The rumbling steps and snarls of frustration as Harry dodged its lumbering grasps kept Harry running at full pelt towards the wards regardless of his legs screaming their pain at him like a toddler with a stubbed toe.

He could've cried out in relief as the ice cold feeling of passing through wards engulfed Harry's entire body.

He daren't stop though. He daren't even listen to the shouting voice that had to be Ludo Bagman commentating when he should be running.

The giant could quite easily make it through the wards by just smashing apart the pillars that held the structure together. Harry couldn't even look back in case that gave the giant the chance to grab him up and crush him into dust.

But Harry was running out of surface. He'd be trapped on the platform with an angry giant and an incredibly limited magic supply, he was surprised he hadn't keeled over already.

There was only one thing for it. Daphne was gonna kill him. If he survived.

Harry nodded to himself resolutely, tucked the egg under his arm a little more securely and took off the end of the platform at a running jump.

The bottom of Harry's stomach fell out as he plummeted towards the floor of the Forbidden Forest.


	13. How About A Little Perspective?

**Chapter Thirteen: How About A Little Perspective?**

The bottom of Harry's stomach fell out as he plummeted towards the floor of the Forbidden Forest.

He started to roll as he wrapped himself around the golden egg under his arm. Displaced air whipped at his ears as he fell ever downwards.

After a couple of rolls the pressure on his body forced him to flatten out, his legs spread and his arms tucked into his chest so he didn't drop the egg.

He breathed sporadically, desperately scrambling for air the best he could as he fell. He couldn't keep this up much longer, his vision was going blurry already. He needed something he could fly to the ground from. Hadn't he planned to summon his broom in case of this exact thing happening? If he could just get his wand and pour the rest of his magic into the spell it might just work.

He tried to pull out his wand from the hand holding the egg to his chest but couldn't. How could he have been so stupid to grab the egg with his wand hand?

Now wasn't the time to be yelling at himself, if he couldn't get at his wand he'd have to summon his broom without it. He didn't exactly have any choice now did he? If it worked it'd just show he was making progress with his wandless magic, if it didn't … well he'd be dead and he wouldn't care anyway.

He threw out his free hand and screamed, '_Accio broom!'_

His hand buffeted around and shook violently as he held it out from him, stretched out to its fullest.

'Please, please, please,' Harry muttered through chattering teeth as he closed his eyes and prayed. Why had he thought this was a good idea again?

He knew he should have brought his broom down to the tent with him. He could have hidden it in his pocket or something. Sod being disqualified, at least he wouldn't have been so stupid as to jump off a fucking platform.

He wasn't far from the top of the trees now, he could see the floor coming into focus.

The broom should have been here by now, it wasn't gonna make it in time. He was going to hit the floor.

He was going to die.

He couldn't watch the floor get any closer. He wasn't going to watch his death coming. He slammed closed his eyes.

Oh Merlin. He was gonna die.

He'd never get to see his friends and family again, he'd leave them behind.

His mind was a whirl of faces. Dad, Sirius, Remus, Hermione, Tracey, Tonks.

Neville …

_Daphne._

_No_, a voice in the back of his head said as Daphne's face fixed into his mind's eye. _Say the spell again Potter, we can't die here_. _Take a deep breath and say the damn spell again!_

Harry took in as much air as he could and opened his eyes. He'd fallen halfway down the giant trees. The floor was getting steadily closer …

No. He wouldn't die now. He refused.

Power filled his body as his magic reared up in response to him. It swelled in his chest and spread out through his body as steady and as unstoppable as the tide. It filled him entirely, all the way to his fingertips and toes.

His outstretched hand shook.

'_ACCIO FIREBOLT!'_ He bellowed with more strength in his voice than ever before.

After the longest heartbeat of Harry's life he felt the smooth wood of his broom handle slam against his palm.

He quickly mounted it one handed and pulled up on the broom in the tightest dive he'd ever managed, the back of his broom skimming the forest floor.

'Woo!' He shouted as he clumsily landed his broom and almost fell off as his feet touched solid ground.

Time froze for a second and then the crowd who'd watched him fall in muted horror exploded into screams of approval. So loud Harry couldn't even make out what Bagman was saying.

Harry swayed on the spot as he stared up at the stands. He'd fucking managed it. Sweet blessed Merlin, he'd pulled it off!

'Ha.' He breathed fast and shallow. Harry broke out into relieved laughter as he and fell forwards in a dead faint.

He felt a pair of arms wrap around him and cling to him desperately as he lost consciousness and let them take him. He didn't care who it was. He was still alive.

Sweet Merlin, he was alive.

* * *

Harry woke to the familiar sight of the Hospital Wing at night.

The high ceiling was a warp of fuzzy blackness and Harry instinctively reached out for his glasses on the bedside table he knew was there. Madame Pomfrey, despite her insistence he still couldn't call her Poppy, nearly always put him in the same bed if she could.

He couldn't find his glasses though. They hadn't fallen off when he fell had they? He couldn't find his wand either, they'd never taken his wand away before. Had he really had such a bad case of magical exhaustion Madame Pomfrey had felt it necessary to move his wand?

He searched blindly for a little longer until a larger hand rested on top of his.

'Looking for these?' James' voice came from Harry's left.

'Dad?' Harry whipped his head toward the familiar voice and winced immediately. 'Ow. Is that you? Where's my wand?'

'Calm down Harry, it's me.' James sighed and gently placed Harry's glasses on his face. 'Lie back down, and try to be quiet you'll wake Daphne.'

'Daphne?' Harry turned his head, still wincing, to see the blonde girl sleeping in the nearest chair to his left, a frown marred her pretty face. She was holding his wand in one of her tightly curled up hands. 'Why's she got my wand?'

James pushed the boy back down with a gentle firmness. Harry went without question.

'Don't know, suppose they had to give her something to hold that she couldn't break.' James looked at the girl fondly and conjured a blanket to cover her with. 'Your fingers weren't holding up very well you see.'

'Ah, so how long have I been out?' Harry asked. There was no point asking how long Daphne had been there. She'd have been by his side the entire time he'd been unconscious. She always was.

'A day,' James said matter-of-factly. 'You'd completely drained yourself of magic, if Hogwarts wasn't as saturated in magic as it is, you'd have been out longer. Daphne's only left to use the girl's room.'

Harry shook his head, he knew she'd be worried. Merlin she was gonna kill him when she woke up. 'Why are you here Dad? I thought you were on a mission this weekend?'

'No. I got transferred once the date for the First Task was given.' James sat down in the chair to the right of Harry's bed and frowned at him. 'Now let me tell you what I saw today.'

Harry grimaced but waited for the bollocking he had expected the second he'd heard his dad's voice.

'Today I watched my son jump off a platform that was Merlin knows how high off the ground and by some miracle he lived long enough to faint from severe magical exhaustion.' James' mouth was a line, his voice was ice cold. 'What the hell were you thinking?'

Harry nearly flinched away from his dad. James Potter didn't yell at you when he was angry. He didn't need to. If he was shouting he was, at the most, annoyed but speaking calmly? Harry was _so _in the shit now.

But Harry wasn't the son of James Potter for nothing.

'I was doing the only thing I thought I could with a giant barrelling towards me on a small platform,' he hissed stubbornly. He pushed out his chin in defiance. 'Don't tell me you've never had to do something stupid when the shit hit the fan.'

'You stupid boy.' James shook his head slightly and gave Harry the most appalled look James had ever given him. 'The giant couldn't get past the wards. It rebounded and damn near knocked itself out when it hit the ward net. Harry, you were safe the second you went back through the wards. You didn't _need _to jump.'

Harry's eyes widened in shock. But he could have sworn the giant had smashed apart the beams! He heard them break. Unless … oh Merlin, that bang must have been the giant getting bounced back.

'I didn't know,' Harry trailed off and looked away from James. 'I didn't think … '

James scoffed. 'You never do when it comes to danger. You'd think you'd have learnt to do that by now.'

'Well what the fuck was I supposed to do? Turn around and look back at the giant that was gonna kill me?' Harry snapped only to clamp his mouth shut when he heard Daphne stir.

James glared at his son as the two Potters waited for Daphne to settle again.

'No Harry, you were supposed to _think_!' James said. He leant his forehead against his palm and pushed up his hair. He looked at Harry over his glasses. 'For once, think before you act. Take the consequences of your actions into consideration before you do something as stupid as jumping off a giant beanstalk without a broom.'

Harry met his father's gaze and held it for a good minute. James looked shattered, there were giant bags under his eyes and he looked like he'd aged a couple of decades right now. He'd been terrified for Harry. Just like Daphne. Just like everyone else he cared about probably had been.

And really had he had to jump? If he'd stopped to think maybe he'd have remembered that not only was Dumbledore sitting at the judges table, already on tenterhooks when he'd seen the giant wasn't slumbering soundly, but so were all of the Hogwarts professors, as well as the Beauxbatons Headmistress and Durmstrang Headmaster and their professors as well.

Dumbledore would have saved him. Harry would have probably been disqualified but he'd have lived. Plus he wouldn't have nearly killed himself.

He turned to look at Daphne and guilt gripped him with an icy claw. She must have been petrified. He'd done that to her. By not stopping and thinking for a moment he'd nearly made his closest friend watch him die.

Merlin he was such a prick sometimes.

'I'm sorry Dad,' Harry said, still looking at Daphne though. 'I'm so sorry.'

James sighed and patted Harry on the shoulder. 'I know Harry, I know. So am I, I know you didn't have that much time to think, you did what you thought you had to. I was just scared you know?'

Harry nodded awkwardly but didn't say anything. He'd apologised to his dad, all he wanted now was to apologise to his friends. Especially Daphne.

'So I'm guessing that was you who caught me when I passed out?' Harry asked.

James let out a slither of a smile. 'No actually, I wasn't fast enough. Neither was Remus.'

'Remus was there too?' Harry asked perplexedly. 'But if you and Remus were both there that means … oh shit.'

'Sup pup?' Sirius' grinning face hooked around the curtain to his hospital bed. 'Gave us quite a scare, lying all limp in my arms like a kid again.'

'Bite me dog-breath.' Harry scowled. He'd never hear the end of this. Why did it have to be Sirius to catch him? Hell he'd have preferred Snape to catch him then Sirius. 'Where's Remus?'

'Full moon, he's gone home.' Sirius said simply.

'Why didn't you go with him?' Harry asked. Sirius always kept Remus company on full moons. The werewolf still wasn't comfortable with Tonks keeping him company. Stupid man.

'What and miss the fireworks?' Sirius grinned wider at Harry's confused expression.

'Fireworks?' Harry asked. 'What fireworks?'

'I believe he means these fireworks Harry,' a distinctly female voice said from where Daphne had been sitting.

Harry lifted himself up so he was sitting up only to receive the hardest slap Daphne had ever given him. Even the slap he'd gotten after the Chamber of Secrets had hurt less. Sirius cheered and James fought down a chuckle.

'Ow.' Harry rubbed his cheek and frowned at Daphne. 'Well at least you didn't use my own wand on me.'

Daphne stood next to him massaging her palm and glaring blue murder at him.

'Don't think it didn't cross my mind Potter,' she said waspishly. There were angry tears being held back by her sheer will. 'You're getting off lucky for scaring me like that.'

Harry looked from James, who shook his head, to Sirius who was still grinning like a madman from the front of his bed. No help was coming then. Not that he really deserved it.

Only one thing for it then.

Harry tucked his hand under the bed sheets and pushed them off of him.

'Harry, you've got to stay in bed,' James said half-heartedly. 'You suffered from severe magical exhaustion.'

Harry ignored him and swung his legs over the side of the bed, they'd left him in his Triwizard Champion robes then. Good, he hated those hospital gowns.

He wobbled a little as he stood but no one moved to help him. Daphne was still glaring at him, but she'd crossed her arms over her chest.

'Get back in bed Harry,' Daphne said. 'You heard your dad.'

Harry shook his head. 'If I do that I can't do this and you'll stay mad at me.'

Harry pulled Daphne into a hug. The blonde girl tensed for a second but after letting out a sigh wrapped her arms around him and hugged back tighter. Harry kissed the top of her head.

'Sorry for scaring you like that Daph,' Harry whispered into her hair. 'I panicked and just acted without thinking.'

Daphne mumbled something that sounded very much like 'Again?'

She'd still be mad at him after this. But she'd always been quicker to forgive him if he'd hugged her like this. He wasn't sure why, probably had something to do with the fact that she always laid her head on his chest so she could feel his heartbeat. That had always relaxed her.

He just held her for a while until Sirius cleared his throat and waggled his eyebrows at them.

'Should me and James leave so you can apologise properly Harry?' Sirius leered at him. 'Nothing quite like 'thank Merlin we're alive' sex after all.'

Daphne and Harry blushed but it was James who smacked Sirius upside the head.

'Try to remember you're talking about two fourteen year olds Sirius,' James said distastefully. 'Just because you started that young doesn't mean everyone else did.'

Sirius was undeterred by the smack and stuck his tongue out at James. 'Oh come on, you know neither of them act fourteen. I forget.'

Harry, James and Daphne groaned at Sirius' lame excuse but the Grim Animagus didn't look like he much cared. He certainly wasn't backing down. He kept up a one sided staring contest with James for a good minute before the actual adult turned to the two teenagers.

'Well Harry, now you're awake we've got to leave, Madame Pomfrey is probably itching to come throw Sirius out.' James turned to Daphne with a warm smile. 'Lovely to see you again Daphne, say hello to your parents for me, look after my boy yeah?'

Daphne nodded but didn't let go of Harry, a lot happier than she'd been when she was talking to Harry. 'Nice to see you Mr Potter. I'll do my best but he doesn't make it easy.'

'James, Daphne, just call me James,' James said with a smile and a shake of his head. 'And no, he doesn't does he?'

The two shared a laugh much to Harry's indignation.

'I'm stood right here you know …'

Daphne nudged him with her head. 'Just about, you mean.'

Harry pouted and James ruffled his hair only making the boy pout more.

'Dad!'

'Be good, Harry.' James patted the boy on the shoulder. 'See you soon.'

'You too.'

James clicked his fingers and tapped his forehead. 'Oh and say hello to Neville for me, he wouldn't stick around when he visited earlier. Something seemed weird, everything okay there?'

Sirius nodded and both adults looked at Harry curiously.

Harry tensed at the mention of the Longbottom heir. Neville had visited him?

Daphne must have noticed because she looked up at him briefly before patting his chest and turning to the adults with a smile.

'Yeah, Neville was just a bit shaky, he was just leaving to get some sleep when you were coming in.'

'Oh that makes sense, I guess.' James didn't look convinced but he smiled and grabbed Sirius by the arm and frogmarched the other man out. 'Come on Sirius, let's leave them to it, they've got classes in the morning.'

Sirius moaned but after a stern look from his childhood friend allowed himself to be dragged out. 'Bye Mr and Mrs Potter!' He shouted as the two men moved out of view.

Harry flicked his godfather the bird but let a slightly blushing Daphne lead him back to his hospital bed.

'Neville was here?' Harry asked as he scrambled into the bed. 'When?'

Daphne didn't answer immediately, she flicked her wand at the curtains around Harry's bed to make them close for more privacy. She then cast a silencing charm and lay herself down next to Harry on his bed.

'Yes, he was worried. He was one of the first people here.'

'Oh.' Harry didn't know what else to say. He was still angry with Neville, but he wasn't really sure why he'd lost it with him after his name came out of the Goblet anymore.

When he really thought about it now, after a month, he really didn't see how he'd thought hurting Neville would solve anything. All he'd done was push away his best friend when he needed Neville most. Now he had to try and get him back, if it wasn't too late. He'd not even spoken to Neville, or Hermione he realised, since the night his name had come out of the Goblet.

Merlin, all Neville had done was stop him from killing Wormtail. While that wasn't Neville's choice to make, the traitorous rat's life was already forfeit in Harry's eyes, Harry couldn't really blame Neville for Wormtail going to Voldemort. Neville couldn't have possibly known that would happen. He had been such a dick to his best friend because he'd let his temper get away from him again.

He let his heart rule his head too much all over it would seem. Just like jumping off the platform yesterday. Merlin he needed to start using his head more. Maybe if he did he wouldn't keep getting himself and the people he cared about into danger. Or wake up to them gathered around his bedside for the nth time.

'What are you thinking Harry?' Daphne interrupted the telling off he was giving himself. She was kneeling next to him. She pressed a hand against his cheek and looked at him worriedly. 'Are you sure you're okay?'

Harry took her head in both of his hands, cradling it. Daphne smiled and lifted her other hand to cup one of his. How could he keep doing this to her? What was this? The fourth year of school in a row where she'd been worried sick over him? Not to mention all the times when they'd been kids. He really didn't deserve her in his life sometimes. She'd be much better off he was sure.

'I am_ so_ sorry Daphne.'

She rubbed his hand and tilted her head to kiss it lightly. 'You're forgiven.'

'I shouldn't be.'

Daphne frowned at him and shook her head. 'No, but you are all the same.'

'But …'

Daphne pressed a finger against his lips to shut him up. It worked.

'But nothing. Now what we're going to do is this, I'm going to tell you how you scored, cus I know you'll want to know …'

'They already gave the scores?' Harry interrupted. Shouldn't they have waited for him to wake up first?

'Yes, now hush and let me finish,' Daphne said haughtily. Harry promptly shut up. 'As I was saying, I'm going to tell you how you did, you're going to promise to talk to Neville at the party the Gryffindors have planned -'

'A party?' Harry complained and dropped his hands to the bed. 'I don't want a party.'

Daphne gave no sign of hearing him and carried on.

'- then the following morning you're going to come and watch me kick the Durmstrang witch's arse all over the duelling platform. Then we'll go to Hogsmeade for tea in Madame Puddifoot's like you promised me. Agreed?'

Harry smiled at her. A big toothy smile. He couldn't help it. She was just so funny when she got like this. He just kept smiling at her.

She tried to keep up her stern expression but it was breaking. She finally gave him her own beautiful smile. 'Agreed Harry?'

'Agreed.' He laughed and pulled her into a hug, catching the blonde by surprise as she fell more or less on top of him. 'Now how did I do?'

* * *

Harry smiled despite himself as he was led towards the portrait of the Fat Lady by the Weasley Twins, who'd taken it upon themselves to make sure he arrived on time for his party.

He apparently owed them a couple galleons as they'd had bets on how he'd do and he'd disappointed them by coming third. It wasn't his fault Maxime and Karkaroff couldn't remember they were supposed to be neutral. Then again Bagman's ten wasn't exactly fair either. Harry had used all of his magic and then endangered himself by jumping off a platform for Merlin's sake.

Dumbledore and Barty Crouch's eights were much more deserved in his opinion. He'd said as much as Daphne had brought him up to speed last night.

With his points from Bagman, Dumbledore and Crouch added to the four Karkaroff 'gifted' him with and the six from Maxime Harry had only gotten thirty-six points. The only person who'd done worse was Fleur. She'd scored thirty-five points. She'd got sevens across the board except for Maxime who'd given her nine and Karkaroff who gave her five. Karkaroff was trying to be blasé about his point giving but everyone knew what he was up to according to Daphne.

Harry knew Fleur's repetitive Apparation would have been too boring no matter how effective. Who wanted to watch someone disappear and reappear over and over again? No one that's who. Hopefully the loss would make the stuck up bitch find some humility. But Harry doubted it. She probably just needed a good shag to be honest but she wouldn't get that anytime soon.

Krum had come second. Even with Karkaroff's ten he had a pissed off French witch who chose to pay back Krum for Fleur's poor score. Not fair in the slightest but Viktor had also been the one to wake up the giant so Harry wasn't all that sympathetic.

'Seriously Harry,' Fred said from his left, his tight grip around Harry's upper arm keeping him from breaking loose and running back to his Champion's Quarters. 'Why'd you let Diggory win? You sure you didn't just let him win because you wanted to win your bet with us? That's bad sportsmanship old bean, wouldn't you say so George?'

Harry chuckled as George, who was gripping his other upper arm nodded enthusiastically. 'Quite right brother of mine, not sporting at all Harry.'

The Twins wittered on at him as Harry looked over his shoulder at the other team members following behind. He gave Angelina and Alicia imploring looks but they just shook their heads at him. Even Katie and Ginny, who was carrying his golden egg in her arms, didn't come to his rescue.

Though in Ginny's defence she seemed to be a bit busy blushing whenever he looked at her. She'd drop her head and smile bashfully at the golden egg like it was a baby. Harry had no doubts the deluded fangirl was loving holding something he'd clutched to his body for dear life. Damn thing probably smelled of him.

'Don't know why you're looking at them Harry,' George said, his hand gripped the back of Harry's head and turned it forwards again as they neared a very amused looking Fat Lady. 'They all lost money too. We had faith in you, you let us down. Now you're gonna come party with us and by Merlin you're gonna enjoy it.'

Harry sighed dramatically and slumped forwards in the Twin's grip. '_Fine_.'

The team laughed at his antics, as did the Fat Lady as she swung open at the muttered password, as they barrelled Harry through to the Common Room.

The party had started without him. Teenagers were spread out, eating, drinking, chattering animatedly and there were already couples forming all over the room, Harry even saw one boy being led by his hands by two girls up to the seventh year dorms. Lucky bastard.

The Twins let go of Harry as his feet touched the floor and he was mobbed by his housemates.

'Harry!' Seamus was the first to get to him and shook his hands enthusiastically, his face aglow with excitement. 'Mate, you were so cool! How'd you come up with making yourself into a rocket?'

'Well actually Seamus ….' Harry started before he was interrupted by Dean.

'Dude! Where the hell have you been? We've been waiting to party with you for a month. We even got you some Butterbeer from the Three Broomsticks!'

Harry grimaced. 'Dean I'm not that fond of …' Harry tried again but was interrupted again as Lavender threw her arms around his neck in a tight hug.

'So glad you're okay Harry,' Lavender bawled into his neck. Harry fought down the blush building on his cheeks. Lavender had certainly been the … early bloomer … out of their year group. She pulled back her black hair, she'd dyed it again then, framed her pretty face. 'Say Harry are you going with anyone to the …'

'Oh no you don't Lav. You're already going with Seamus.' Parvati nudged her friend out of the way as she gave Harry a supposedly seductive smile. Looping her own arms around Harry's neck, she pulled closer to him. It wasn't as nice a hug as Lavender's but hey, Harry wasn't gonna complain. Besides, Parvati was a twin … the possibilities. 'I'm free though Harry.'

Harry didn't have time to respond though as Parvati was pulled away from him just as quickly as she'd arrived by an irate Lavender.

Harry sighed in relief and rolled his eyes as a clear drink was forced into his hand by a random seventh year Harry vaguely recognised as Frank Butters, a Muggle-born with tawny hair and brown eyes. The taller boy didn't say anything but clicked his glass against Harry's and downed his own drink.

Harry sniffed it and hummed slightly. Vodka huh? Okay, this party might not be so bad after all.

Harry necked it and Butters grinned at him before chasing after a seventh year girl, Stacy Wilkins, who ran a hand across his shoulders with a flirty smile.

Butters spared him a wink and was after Stacy before Harry could blink. Harry wasn't left alone for long though as Lee Jordan came back with a plateful of food and a goblet of amber liquid.

'Cracking show you put on Harry, shame about the commentating.' Lee said as he shoved the plate into Harry's uncertain hands. Lee's eyes widened and he shook his head feverishly. 'Oh no Harry, the Twins haven't touched this food.'

'What about some of the girls Lee?' Harry said as the group of boys around him burst into raucous laughter. 'Don't need another love potion in my drink.'

The Quidditch commentator crowed with laughter. 'Yeah poor Ron is still embarrassed about that. Vane really should have learned that you're not that easy to trick by now.'

Harry repressed a shudder as he thought about his creepiest stalker. Ginny was a bit weird but she was harmless enough. Romilda Vane? She'd been putting things in his drinks and his food since the middle of Harry's third year. Ron had been unfortunate enough to pick up Harry's goblet once at dinner.

Romilda had had to put up with a lovestruck Ron Weasley for a week before the potion had worn off. Harry still felt kinda bad for not fixing that, the antidote was rather simple … but it was just too funny to watch the youngest Weasley boy follow Romilda around like a puppy.

'She should have.' Harry chuckled and took a big bite out of the ham roll on his plate. 'And you're right, Bagman's got nothing on your commentating skills Lee.'

Lee chuckled and Harry was pushed forwards to the sofas and sat himself down to eat the rest of the food. He tried to listen to all of the chattering going on around him but it was difficult to make a lot of it out.

Some of the girls had filtered in around the boys and Harry soon found himself with Ginny Weasley on his left, still clutching the egg, a fifth year girl he didn't know, who had her hand on his leg, on his right and a smirking Katie Bell sat opposite him.

'So Katie,' Harry coughed out as the fifth year girl started playing with his hair and whispering things in his ear that would make Sirius blush. 'How goes the Quidditch practices? When's the first m-match!'

Harry jumped a little as the fifth year girl, Valerie he thought her name was, squeezed his leg and giggled into his ear.

Harry could feel Ginny's glare but she wasn't the only one who seemed to disapprove of Valerie's attentions to Harry's leg.

'Oh for Merlin's sake Valerie,' Katie hissed. 'Me and Ginny are sat right here!'

Valerie rested her head on Harry's shoulder and fixed Katie with bleary eyes. 'Then leave. Me and Harry want to be alone anyway right Harry?'

Valerie's hand slipped further up Harry's leg as she spoke until it was squeezing his inner thigh. She looked at him and Harry could smell alcohol on her breath.

'Erm,' Harry said articulately. He looked Valerie up and down. She was certainly hot. Even if she was drunk as all hell. Her Hogwarts uniform was dishevelled, the top two buttons of her blouse unbuttoned, teasing him with creamy white skin and the hint of cleavage. Harry tilted his head towards Valerie's smiling lips. It would be so easy just to …

'Potter,' a familiar voice brought Harry's lusty thoughts to a careening stop. 'What the hell are you doing?'

Harry detached himself from a scowling Valerie and turned to face the voice.

'Hello Neville.' Harry stood as the people around him drifted away from the two boys. 'I wondered when you'd show up.'


	14. From Durmstrang With Love

**Chapter Fourteen: From Durmstrang With Love**

Neville glowered as Harry crossed the small space between them.

'Hello Neville,' Harry said in the calmest voice he could. He was here to try and apologise to Neville, not anger the boy further. Harry wasn't the only Gryffindor with a short fuse after all. 'How are you?'

The sober members of Gryffindor House had stopped their conversations and, apart from the odd giggle from a girl who'd clearly had too much to drink or faint groans from the boy vomiting into a seemingly bottomless brown bag, the room was silent.

The exact details of Harry and Neville's fight hadn't gotten out past Hermione, Tracey, Daphne and the boys themselves. However after three years of Hogwarts and an entire childhood of being together, everyone in Hogwarts knew something was off when Harry and Neville hadn't been seen together since Halloween night.

The Hogwarts Rumour Mill had been going into overtime each theory getting more and more ridiculous as time went on. Harry had stopped listening to the rumours that surrounded his life after the whole mess with the Heir of Slytherin crap but Daphne and Tracey had been keeping him up to speed.

Some of the stuff he'd been told. Honestly it was like the nosy bastards had nothing better to do with their time!

'How am I? Oh you son of-' Neville looked around the crowd and seemed to swallow his words down. 'I'm good thank you. You?'

Harry's stomach flopped. Harry had kinda hoped Neville had forgiven him a little bit. He'd been fooling himself clearly. Neville had every right to be angry. Harry had tried to take his head off with his last spell.

But he had to try, he'd missed Neville more than he'd let on to Daphne, though she probably knew anyway. He loved spending time with Daphne but Merlin he'd missed his best mate.

'Oh you know.' Harry's mouth was dry. His tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth as he tried to speak. 'Still alive.'

Sniggers rippled throughout the watching crowd. There was even a slight hint of a smile on Neville's face at Harry's joke but it was clamped down on fiercely.

'Yeah, gave it your best shot though huh Potter?'

Harry nodded and looked away from Neville. He couldn't stand to watch his best friend look at him like that anymore. It was horrible.

He instead focused on Hermione who was chewing on her bottom lip a little ways away behind Neville. Harry and Hermione hadn't spoken since Halloween either. She'd been so scared of him that night. Merlin, another friend he'd frightened. He was such a bastard.

'I … yeah well,' Harry said. He scanned the faces of the crowd and found one of the Twins staring at him. George he thought. Harry mouthed 'help!' at him.

George gave him a solemn nod and clapped his hands together. A loud bang resounded around the Common Room and the students jumped. Some fell over furniture, spilling drinks and food all over the place while others simply shouted and grabbed the nearest person or object for balance.

Harry took advantage of the distraction and strode next to Neville, who was one of the few people who hadn't reacted. He was too used to The Marauders to be shocked by loud noises. Sirius' influence was showing through yet again.

'Can we do this in privacy Neville? Please?' Harry whispered as the two boys stood back to back.

'Fine.' Neville nodded and pushed past him. 'Follow me.'

Neville waved off Hermione, who was already on her feet, and led him up to the fourth year boys' dorms in silence.

Neville pushed open the door. The two boys were hit by the distinctive girlish giggles of Lavender Brown. The ravenette was sat in Seamus' lap as the Irish boy kissed her shoulders and tickled under her slightly lifted top. It would appear Seamus wasn't bothered that Lavender had made a clumsy move on Harry the second he walked in. That or Harry and Neville had interrupted Lavender's apology.

Lavender pushed Seamus away and pulled her top down over her bare tummy. She rushed past the boys in the doorway, her face beet red. Harry resisted the urge to watch her run down the steps.

'Lav wait! Bugger!' Seamus shouted and shot to the doorframe. He turned on the intruders with a scowl. 'Thanks lads, I was in there!'

'Sorry Seamus,' Neville said, though Harry suspected he wasn't really sorry.

Neville had found Lavender in the boys' dorm a lot this year if the girls at the party were to be believed. Jealousy certainly brought out the catty side of some girls if the past couple hours he'd spent with them were anything to go by.

They hadn't liked Lavender trying to claim Harry when she'd already got Seamus wrapped around her little finger. The Irish boy had always been popular with the girls of Gryffindor. Seamus referred to it as the luck of the Irish on the first night back this year. Harry had to agree.

'We need the room Seamus, Lavender will understand.' Harry said. Harry smirked at the angry boy. 'Blame me if she gets pissy with you. Kill two birds with one stone?'

Seamus chuckled and punched Harry's shoulder as he pushed past them. 'Good lad Harry. Now excuse me.'

Harry shut the door and cast a locking charm on the door. It was then that the situation truly hit Harry.

He and Neville were alone for the first time in nearly a month. Fuck, what was he supposed to say now?

Harry moved over to his perfectly kept bed and sat down on it in an effort to buy time to think of something, _anything_, to say.

'So, you wanted privacy Harry.' Neville sat down on his own bed next to Harry's with his hands resting on his knees. 'Now what?'

Harry ruffled at his hair and clamoured for something to say.

'I don't know Neville,' Harry said. 'I just didn't want to do this in front of everyone.'

'This?' Neville asked with a harsh edge to his voice. 'Gonna take another go at me Potter? Finish the job?'

'No!' Harry shouted, outraged. He jumped to his feet and towered over Neville. 'Is that what you really think I'm here to do? Fuck's sake Nev!'

'It's easier to believe than you actually freaking apologising for something!' Neville snapped back. He was in Harry's face, so close Harry could feel the shorter boy's angry breath smother his nose. 'The great Harry Potter, who's never wrong, who doesn't bother to think about the consequences of his actions. Regardless of who he hurts.'

Neville gnashed his teeth and took advantage of Harry's shock and carried on with his verbal attack.

'Do you ever think Potter? Or is it just you don't think about other people? The world can go fuck itself for all you care is that it?' Neville grabbed his jumper and balled up his fists in the black fabric. 'Do you _ever_ stop and think about the fallout? Or do you just let your precious 'instincts' tell you what to do and leave the rest of us to clean up your mistakes?'

'Nev …' Harry started. Neville had never lost his temper with Harry this much. Not even when he'd stopped Harry killing Wormtail. Neville was enraged and Harry had the feeling it wasn't just because he'd used magic on him. 'What?'

'I'm not done,' Neville snarled at him. 'Not only do you try to kill someone in cold blood, you then attack me on some fucked up belief that stopping you from becoming a murderer was a bad thing and somehow hold me responsible for you being put in the tournament. But to top it all off, I catch you about to hurt the one person who's had your back through everything. Everything Potter! What the hell were you thinking? Kissing Valerie Sutton? The fuck is your problem? Do any of us mean fucking _anything_ to you?'

Harry just stared at Neville. He didn't know what to say. What the hell? This was all because he'd _nearly_ kissed Valerie? That was what set Neville off?

'I didn't kiss her …' Harry said bemusedly. 'And it wouldn't hurt Daphne if I did, you know we're just friends.'

It couldn't just be that, surely?

'Bollocks Potter.' Neville gave him the single most disgusted look Harry had ever seen the boy give someone. 'She's more than that and if you haven't noticed that yet you don't deserve her. Hell in the past month you've shown you don't deserve any of us.'

Neville pushed Harry away hard enough he had to roll backwards over the bed to land on his feet. Even with the bed between them Harry could still feel Neville's anger as if it was being held against his skin.

'What the hell Neville?' Harry asked, completely bamboozled. 'Me kissing another girl that isn't Daphne is what sets you off? I just don't understand, I came here to apologise to you! I'm sorry for everything mate, I just want the chance to make it right.'

'Get out of here Harry.' Neville scowled and turned away from him to fiddle with his bedsheets. 'Go back to your party, go stick your tongue down some random girl's throat and hurt the only friend you've got left. Seems to be about your speed.'

'But …' Harry tried.

'_Go!_' Neville shouted without turning around. The dorm's door swung open as if it were reacting on cue.

Harry left Neville standing in the dorm and shut the door after him. He walked down the steps as fast as he could without running. He didn't stop until he was nearly out of the Common Room. He wouldn't let them see him lose his tenuous control over his emotions, he needed to get away.

A hand grabbed him around the bend of his elbow and stopped him just as he was about to climb into the portrait hole.

'Harry?' Katie Bell asked with a concerned frown. 'Harry what's wrong?'

Harry painted a smile onto his face. 'Nothing Katie, just getting some air.'

Katie eyed the crumpled collar of his jumper and frowned. 'Guessing your chat with Neville didn't go well huh?'

Harry swallowed as Katie's hands rested on his chest when she straightened out the wrinkles. 'It's not that I just want to get out of here. Too many people you know?'

The brunette smiled at him and tucked a bothersome hair behind her ear. 'It's a bit manic huh? Can I join you?'

Harry looked up at the dorm balconies where Neville was watching him avidly, Hermione stood next to him fretting.

Harry looked away from the boy and smiled back at Katie who'd stepped a little closer to him. Was Neville right? Would he hurt Daphne by kissing another girl? They'd joked about their reactions if they found the other kissing somebody. Harry'd made a joke about not minding if Daphne kissed another girl. Daphne had winked and said she'd let him watch if she did. They'd laughed.

Had he been the only one joking though?

Katie's hand was still on his chest.

Harry looked back up at Neville and Hermione.

'Sorry Katie, but I just wanna be alone yeah? Still a little overwhelmed by the giant you know?'

'Okay Harry, you go get some sleep.' Katie looked crestfallen but it was gone in a blink of an eye as she gave him a peck on the cheek. Her hug lingered just a little too long to be friendly though. 'I'm glad you survived yesterday.'

Harry smiled one last time and ducked out of the Common Room. Neville's angry glare stuck in his mind's eye.

* * *

Daphne's bout with Durmstrang's Wanda Maximoff, an average looking witch in her mid-teens, was the last duel of the day.

Daphne had been on tenterhooks with her nerves already but having to go last? It'd nearly put her over the edge. She certainly wasn't in the mood for any of Harry's attempts at consoling her. The snarky comments he'd gotten in the hour before she'd had to join the rest of the Hogwarts Duelling Team had been proof of that.

Though in fairness he wasn't particularly on the ball today, he'd probably been a lot less supportive than he thought he'd been.

He was still reeling from Neville's implications that if he kissed another girl he'd really hurt Daphne. He'd barely slept trying to wrap his head around the idea.

It just didn't make any sense, if he'd been hurting Daphne by flirting and mentioning other girls in front of her she'd have told him surely? Especially after last year when he'd flirted with Cho Chang and Sue Li every chance he got. She hadn't said anything so it mustn't have bothered her.

Neville had to be reading too much into it.

They were close, closer than Harry and Neville were, but they'd never really acted on it past that. He'd also be the first to admit Daphne was gorgeous. The tight fitting duelling uniform she'd had to put on, that didn't leave much to the imagination, had done a wonderful job of reminding him of that. Harry had spent a fair bit of time watching Daphne's arse as she walked away earlier.

He knew Daphne found him attractive as well, she hid her blushes well but Quidditch and duelling training with Alastor had done him the world of favours and she was just as much a teenager as he was. He'd just put the blushes when she'd found him shirtless, or even less clothed, down to hormones rather than any real desire.

The flirting, that most people seemed to take as serious, was another thing that had his head spinning, especially this year. Daphne had taken advantage of her blossoming femininity to win their little flirting competitions since they'd started duelling together before Halloween. Back when things made sense.

Despite his refusal to admit it, Harry _had_ nearly kissed Daphne when he'd pinned her against the wall just before Tracey interrupted their duel. He had been centimetres away. That was just an adrenaline high though. Wasn't it?

But what about all the other times he'd nearly kissed her? Or the times she nearly kissed him. She'd come damn close so many times he'd felt her breath on his lips. It had been so enticing, he'd wanted to taste her so …

Harry shook his head violently and growled. He earned an odd look from a group of Ravenclaws sat next to him in the stands.

This was utter rubbish. Of course he nearly kissed her a few times, he was a teenaged boy, she was a gorgeous teenaged girl who was flirting with him. He was going to be tempted. He'd nearly kissed several girls this year. He was just hormonal or something. Yeah that was it. The only reason it centred in on Daphne was because he spent most of his time with her.

But what about Daphne? A traitorous little voice muttered in his ear. She isn't nearly kissing anyone but you. Are you so sure Neville is wrong? She _does_ only flirt with you. Maybe …

Harry shook his head like a dog with a stick in its mouth. This was not the time for thinking about whether or not his best female friend was more than that. He was here to support Daphne, Hogwarts too he supposed, while she kicked the other girl's arse around the duelling platform.

He had enough complications in his life right now anyway, he could figure out what Daphne felt for him when he wasn't facing down Merlin only knew what in the upcoming tasks. He still had to open the egg come to think of it. Merlin's balls, something else he had to do!

'Ladies and gentlemen! Boys and girls! Are you ready for the last duel of the day?' Ludo Bagman's irritatingly chirpy voice interrupted Harry's thoughts.

The crowd cheered in response and Harry felt growing excitement despite himself. He was eager to see what Daphne could do when she wasn't duelling someone who didn't want to hurt her. Maximoff didn't suffer from that problem though especially given the mean look she'd been giving anyone who got in her way today.

Harry had pulled some punches where he could, Daphne would've killed him if she knew he was going easy on her, so he wasn't sure what Daphne's full potential actually was.

'Please welcome our duellists!' Bagman's voice boomed around the Great Hall.

The tournament officials had turned the middle of the Great Hall into a makeshift stadium. Gone were the House and Staff Tables, replaced by rows of seats that encircled a five foot high, six foot wide and fifteen feet long platform that ran down the middle of the room. The seats had been elevated up to give enough space but there was also plenty of standing room for those who weren't smart enough to get there early.

Bagman had given them a quick rundown of the rules. No killing, no permanent injury and no illegal curses. Harry personally felt they all went without saying but given the watchful looks Moody and Dumbledore were giving the Durmstrang students it didn't seem quite so stupid to make it obvious.

Durmstrang was clouded by mystery but it was common knowledge that they learnt Dark Arts instead of just Defence Against the Dark Arts. Couldn't be too safe, you never knew what nastiness their Death Eater Headmaster had put into the curriculum.

The duels throughout the day had been uneventful despite the concerns. The Durmstrang students seemed to be on the level, even if their Headmaster wasn't. There was the odd semi-legal hex but nothing major.

The biggest shock for Harry was when one of the Beauxbatons students recognised him as the boy made his way up onto the platform. The bloke nearly wet himself when Harry's eyes darkened in recognition. It was the lucky French bastard who'd beaten him in the European Amateur Duelling Tournament!

He struggled for the French wizard's name until Bagman announced him. Jean-Claude something or other. Honestly, how unimaginative were his parents? Frenchman called Jean-Claude, why not just call him Pierre and be done with it?

Harry had deeply regretted not being able to represent Hogwarts during that match. However he felt somewhat vindicated when Jean-Claude beat his Durmstrang opponent rather handily. Even if he did keep shooting nervous looks at Harry.

At least he didn't lose to a completely talentless loser. The shit he'd have got. It didn't bear thinking about.

'Representing Durmstrang and Russia,' Bagman said. 'Wanda Maximoff!'

The Durmstrang students in the crowd cheered and shouted as the rest of the crowd applauded politely.

Wanda made her way up to the platform, unsmiling, and stopped when she reached the middle next to one of Beauxbaton's professors who'd come to act as referee. Bagman may be the commentator but he couldn't be trusted to be impartial. Made sense really, with three schools, the one not being represented should provide a ref. There would be a chance for an impartial referee that way.

She was in fully red battle robes that hugged her body like a Muggle spandex suit. It cut down on wind resistance letting movement easier and giving all the spectators an eyeful. Wanda had an athlete's figure and walked with a familiar comfort in the robes. Harry wouldn't be surprised if Wanda duelled in tournaments like Harry did. That could be problematic, he only hoped Daphne had improved with his help. She'd hate to lose.

'And her opponent, representing Hogwarts and Slytherin House.'

Harry stopped studying Wanda for possible weaknesses to watch the stairs again.

'Daphne Greengrass!'

The crowd cheered louder as Hogwarts tried to encourage its own.

Daphne, her hair bouncing as she strode up the stairs, grinned confidently. Her eyes snapped to where she knew Harry was sitting and she winked.

Harry shook his head and smiled. Her jet black battle robes were accented by green stripes up the sides and around her neckline. Daphne had caught him staring at her a couple times today. He'd been rather obvious he supposed. Well at least she was looking more confident about her duel. Teasing Harry, even just a little, must have relaxed her a bit.

'If ze two competitors would take zair positions?' The Beauxbatons referee's heavily accented voice had been charmed to be as loud as Bagman's. 'Mademoiselle Greengrass to my left if you pleeze,' he gestured for Daphne to start walking. 'And Mademoiselle Maximoff to my right.'

The girls nodded to the referee and took their positions at opposite ends of the platform. When they reached their marks the girls turned and bowed to each other. Daphne bowed a lot lower than Wanda. The Russian girl was definitely a duellist, no one on the circuit really bothered with the bowing tradition.

The referee waited long enough for the two duellists to take stances. Harry smiled to himself when Daphne adopted Harry's favourite stance. One foot forward and her wand hand raised next to her head. Wanda adopted her own stance, crouched ready to bound forwards.

'Duel!'

Daphne zipped forward the second the referee had finished talking and let loose a shouted, '_Confringo!_'

Wanda's eyes widened slightly but her wand was up quick enough to cast a speedy shield charm. Daphne's opening spell splattered across it.

Daphne cast her own shield, a blue disc around her left arm, and cast again before Wanda could retaliate. '_Expulso! Reducto!_'

The two spells were batted away with ease as Wanda gave Daphne a contemptuous look. The Russian witch conjured several tennis balls and fired them at Daphne.

Daphne frowned as she ducked and weaved out of the way of the assault. The balls went flying off the platform and vanished as they passed the wards protecting the stands.

Daphne span out of the way of the last tennis ball and stabbed her wand at Wanda's midriff. '_Everte Statum!_'

Wanda swayed to her left as Daphne's spell flew past her and flicked her wand back at Daphne wordlessly. A bolt of blue magic flew at Daphne but she was already moving.

Daphne blasted the platform at her feet and engorged the rubble into boulders half her size and propelled them at the other witch.

'_Findo!_' Wanda finally spoke but she still hadn't moved. '_Repulso!_'

Daphne's boulder split into two equal halves as Wanda sliced upwards and sent the halves flying back at Daphne with a flick of her wand.

The blonde dodged clumsily and Harry grimaced. She hadn't expected to have her own attack reversed. He knew he should have brought conjuring into their practices more.

Wanda took advantage of Daphne's stumble and fired several spells at her in quick succession.

Daphne brought her shield up just in time for the first spell to strike it and knock Daphne further back. The second and third knocked Daphne's shield out of the way and the fourth hit Daphne square in the chest.

As the yellow bolt made contact Daphne was knocked over and Harry tightened his hands onto his seat so he didn't reach for his wand. It was a competition, he couldn't interfere just because his friend was losing.

Daphne managed to turn her fall into a backwards roll and came up crouched low and angry. Not good. If Daphne got angry she wouldn't focus and Maximoff would continue to dominate the duel. The most annoying part of this for Daphne must have been that the other witch didn't seem to be taking the blonde seriously. She hadn't even moved from her starting spot yet.

'_Retroago! Incarcerous!_' Daphne said. Ropes fired at Maximoff and she was too busy cutting them in half to notice Daphne's muttered spell aimed at her feet. '_Duco!_'

Daphne's spell hit and Maximoff's feet were pulled from under her and the Russian girl landed on her back with a crash.

Daphne grinned victoriously when the other girl came up scowling. Would appear dear Wanda didn't like being humiliated either. She was angry and it showed in her casting.

Maximoff reeled off another volley of spells. '_Confringo! Diffindo! Reducto! Bombarda!_' The Russian witch stomped closer with each spell.

Daphne dived to her side and rolled into a kneeling position. '_Aquamenti!_'

Maximoff conjured a larger shield to block off the jet of water but it had still drenched her pretty thoroughly. Maximoff was seething behind her clear shield.

'_Ventus!_' Daphne said and walked closer to her opponent.

Maximoff strengthened her shield as wind buffeted her body and scowled. Daphne had her on the back foot and the Russian witch knew it.

Harry had to laugh at Daphne's use of spells. Water and wind, she'd basically washed Maximoff's hair for her. It was a shame talking was frowned upon during these duels. Harry just _knew_ Daphne had some brilliant trash talk to go with those spells.

Daphne cut off her wind attack and snapped off a blasting curse.

Maximoff dodged and shouted. '_Incarcerous!_'

Three sets of ropes fired towards Daphne. She flicked her wand three times and the ropes turned into snakes. With a swirl of her wand the hissing snakes were turned around and shot at Maximoff.

Harry smirked. Well she was representing Slytherin.

Maximoff dispatched the snakes swiftly, their bodies dropping to the floor in halves.

Daphne kept up her attacks though. '_Diffindo! Reducto! Calce Ferio!'_

Maximoff used her shield, which had been darkening steadily since Daphne had started with the water spell, shattered as Daphne's second spell hit it. Daphne's third spell hit Maximoff in the gut. Harry winced appreciatively as the girl shouted in pain and dropped to her knees.

Calce Ferio was a nasty little spell. If it hit you it left you feeling like you'd been kicked in the stomach, balls and chest. Repeatedly.

Alastor had hit Harry with it once. Harry made sure it was only ever the once.

'_Stupefy!_' Daphne said in a final tone.

The red bolt hit Maximoff in the forehead and the Russian slumped to the floor in an unceremonious heap. Her wand clattered as it hit the platform.

'Greengrass wins! 'Ogwarts wins!' The referee shouted over the cheers of the watching Hogwarts crowd. 'Greengrass wins!'


	15. Riddles Are For Ravenclaws

**Chapter Fifteen: Riddles Are For Ravenclaws**

Winter always came earlier at Hogwarts and by late November the snow was already beginning to fall.

The grounds were already covered in a light dusting of white powder. It would start coming down in blankets soon enough making Hogwarts look like the perfect Christmas card.

Worst was the wind though. It bit at Harry's face as he walked down towards Hogsmeade with Daphne. Both were wearing their thickest winter clothes to try and fight off the invasive cold but out in the open the wind tore through them like a razor blade.

They'd been okay inside the castle. Daphne's battle robes, while form fitting, had been good at keeping in her body heat even when she wasn't duelling and Harry had had the advantage of loads of other bodies around him acting like little furnaces.

However within seconds of walking down the path to Hogsmeade Daphne had cuddled closer onto Harry's arm. She'd pressed her body as close to him as she could without causing Harry to trip over.

She had actually wrapped around his arm for support more or less the second they were away from the watchful eyes. Daphne's duel had taken its toll but she didn't want her future opponents to see her weak. Healing spells had been administered the second she walked off the duelling platform of course but Harry knew from experience that healing spells didn't deal with the pain just the damage. So Daphne had clung to him for support, comfort and finally warmth.

Harry didn't exactly mind Daphne being pressed right up against him, certain parts of him freaking adored it in fact, bloody hormones, but with Neville's words ringing in his head now the excitement of Daphne's duel was over it made him feel … uncomfortable.

And Daphne was picking up that something was wrong with him as well.

'You sure you're alright Harry?' Daphne said through slightly chattering teeth. 'And don't lie, I know something's bothering you. You're never this quiet. You've not even attempted to hit on me since I left for my duel.'

Merlin damned girl with her whole knowing him better than he knew himself thing. It really made trying to keep things from her bloody difficult. If Neville ever actually forgave him he was gonna have words with him about all this guilt he'd put on Harry.

'I'm fine Daphne, just cold.' Harry smiled at her and winked. 'Missing the attention babe? I'll hit on you once I get somewhere warm, promise.'

Daphne rolled her eyes and smacked his chest with the back of her hand but didn't unwrap from him. 'I thought I said no lying?'

'Would you prefer I hit on you now?' Harry quirked an eyebrow and peered at Daphne over his glasses. 'You're very pretty Daphne.'

'Harry,' Daphne said. She stopped walking and Harry lurched backwards a step. 'Why are you lying to me?'

Harry felt a shiver down his spine when Daphne fixed him with the same imperious look she would give him when he tried to keep something from her. He put it down to the wind. He was not afraid of a fourteen year old blonde girl.

Maybe he was a little afraid.

Okay, maybe a lot.

Fine, he was afraid of her but he'd been on the receiving end of her wand more than once. Her spells hurt …

Shut up.

'Daphne.' Harry sighed and looked anywhere but Daphne. 'Not now okay?'

He didn't want to talk about Neville's accusations, it was ridiculous. Daphne wasn't in love with him for Merlin's sake. She wouldn't care about Harry with other girls really.

Harry tried to walk forward but was held in place by Daphne's hands on his arm.

'What's wrong? I know it wasn't watching me duel, hell that probably turned you on a bit, what's happened?' Daphne's eyes were locked on his and Harry was rooted to the spot by something other than gravity. 'Is it Neville? You didn't say what happened at the party.'

'Daphne it's nothing …'

'Harry.' Daphne frowned at him and pulled him close so she could hiss her words. 'I'm freezing my rather lovely bum off standing here and we have stuff to do in Hogsmeade so you can either tell me now, or tell me when we reach Madame Puddifoot's, but you will tell me. Understood?'

Harry knew he would. He may not want to but now Daphne knew there was definitely _something_ she'd get it out of him whether he liked it or not. Merlin he'd just wanted to get his head straight and really think Neville's words through, what would he do if Daphne really did have feelings for him? Would it be worse if she didn't?

He didn't like the way his brain was going. It brought up too many conflicting feelings and Daphne was still staring at him, clutched so close he could smell her lavender perfume as if he'd put it on himself.

'Okay Daph,' Harry said. 'Later though alright?'

Daphne didn't quite smile but the corners of her full lips did turn up. She nodded and started walking again. 'Good.'

Harry and Daphne walked in companionable silence until they were in the village proper and the wind died off a little.

'So you were freezing your arse off huh love?' Harry muttered when Daphne placed her head on his shoulder on instinct.

'Mhmm.'

'I could warm it up if you like?' Harry ran his hand down Daphne's back and smirked when he felt her shiver in what he'd let himself think was pleasure. Conflicted feelings or not, he wouldn't be him if he didn't take advantage of Daphne referring to her arse.

'You'd touch my bum in the street Harry?' Daphne said lightly. She didn't move her head from his shoulder as they continued to walk. 'You'll break the hearts of any girls watching and I'd be mad with you.'

Harry chuckled and whispered into her ear. 'So you wouldn't be mad if I touch your arse in private?'

Daphne nudged him with her hip. 'It won't need warming up when we're inside.'

'Only want my hands on your arse for warmth babe? I'm hurt.'

Daphne giggled and Harry was pretty sure she was blushing but she didn't say anything.

Harry felt her hand unravel from his arm and slide over his side to his back. It was nice. Her hand started to dip and came to rest just above his arse.

Before Harry could ask what she was doing Daphne's hand had lowered to his arse, cupped and squeezed lightly. It was a weird sensation. On the one hand it felt rather nice but the shock of it knocked him for six.

Daphne could be very suggestive with what she said, downright blunt when she wanted to be, but neither of them had ever taken the flirting past magic-groping with the parchment.

'Daphne?' Harry asked, very aware that her hand hadn't moved from his arse. 'What the-'

'You know Harry,' Daphne cut him off with a light lilt to her voice. 'Quidditch and Duelling has done wonders for your bum. It's nice and firm.' She gave him a little pat. 'Very firm.'

Harry felt his cheeks redden. 'What happened to breaking hearts?'

Daphne looked up at him with a smile that managed to look innocent, mischievous and sultry all at once. 'It's not me who's got a fan club Harry. I'm free to squeeze whatever and whoever I like. Besides, I've been rather curious for a while.'

Harry burst out laughing, his breath billowing out in front of him, as they turned the corner of the street they walking down onto the one that led to Honeydukes'.

'Groping me before you've even kissed me Miss Greengrass?' Harry finally managed. 'What will people say?'

Daphne shrugged against him and tapped him on the bum again. 'I don't know, probably that that nasty Greengrass skank was groping their beloved Harry Potter. They'll certainly wish they'd been the ones with their hand on your bum as they walked down the street.' Daphne led him towards Honeydukes' front door and disentangled herself from him, the hand on his bum trailing over his hip as she stepped away. She turned to face him as they reached the little alcove that held the entrance. 'And who says I haven't kissed you already?'

Harry raised an eyebrow at the blonde girl. 'Forgive me Daph but I think I'd remember if we'd kissed.'

Daphne winked. 'You'd think so wouldn't you?'

Daphne made to enter the shop only for Harry to grab her coat and pull. Daphne stepped back and Harry squeezed her arse sending little electric shocks of pleasure up the blonde's arching spine. She rounded on Harry her face bright red.

'Harry!'

Harry shrugged at her and grinned the infamous Potter grin. 'Only fair Daphne, you gave me a squeeze, only fair you get one too. Oh and you're right, your bum is rather lovely.'

Daphne blushed deeper at the compliment and put her hand on door to Honeydukes'. 'What did I say about public Harry?'

'Sorry Daph, next time I squeeze your arse I'll do it in private. _Promise_.'

Harry chuckled to himself as Daphne pushed open the door and disappeared inside the shop looking sufficiently flustered.

Then it sunk in what he'd just done. He smacked his forehead and groaned.

He'd gotten so caught up in the fun of being around Daphne and the flirting that he'd forgotten that he was supposed to be trying to figure out their relationship for the inevitable conversation they'd have later. Why'd he done something to complicate it even further? Stupid Potter!

She'd squeezed him first though, his competitive streak couldn't let that go and he'd just acted on instinct. And didn't she say she'd kissed him already? Oh Merlin, Neville might be right.

But if that was the case why was she acting mad about him squeezing her arse? Surely if she had feelings for him she'd want his hands on her as much as possible? He'd certainly liked when she'd done it to him. Did that mean …

Daphne reappeared in the doorway blushing prettily before he could finish the thought and smiled at him coyly. 'Come on Harry, come buy a girl some chocolate or do I have to squeeze you again?'

Harry studied her face. Light pink blush high on her pretty face, dazzling blue eyes and a not quite innocent smile. She wasn't mad. She was … hopeful? Happy? He couldn't place her mood and that threw him entirely.

He had to ask. He had to know. Neville's words echoed in his head.

'Daphne, do you …'

'Do I what? Come on Harry, it's cold out here, you'll catch cold.'

Harry could feel the words on his tongue like spice. They were burning a hole in his tongue sitting there. If he left them there he'd never speak again. Take them back or spit them out Potter, but do something.

'Harry?'

He urged himself to ask, he had to ask for Merlin's sake! At least then he'd have some answers to the questions Neville's tirade had imprinted onto his brain.

Daphne had gotten closer, her hand was on his chest in the exact same place Katie Bell's had been last night. Her beautiful blues were fixed on his wide greens. Urging him on.

'Do you …' Ask. Ask! Merlin damn it Potter. _ASK!_ 'Do you think I should get Neville something for Christmas?'

Something passed over Daphne's face and for a moment Harry could've sworn he saw disappointment but when he looked again it was gone, replaced with a beaming smile.

'Yeah Harry, I think that'd be a nice gesture. Come on, we can brainstorm while we shop for the others.'

Harry let himself be led by the hand into the shop and mentally kicked himself for his cowardice. Gryffindors were brave his arse.

* * *

Harry groaned as he followed Daphne into Madame Puddifoot's teashop.

Merlin he hated this stuffy little corner of Hell hiding in a back alley of Hogsmeade. If Voldemort ever went on a rampage through Hogsmeade Harry would pay him to burn the place to cinders with the overbearing, romance obsessed Madame Puddifoot still inside.

The teashop was far too cramped, they had to manoeuvre around the tightly packed tables with couples eye-fucking each other over their sickly sweet tea.

Considering this place was supposed to be a romantic little hidey hole, Harry found it particularly amusing that all the guys in the shop saw this place as a necessary stepping stone. They only brought the girl they were with here to get them into bed. Or against a wall or into the first broom closet they found. Romantic place, _sure_.

More like a hot bed of teenaged lust if you asked him.

He'd never been so thankful for shrinking spells in his life. Thanks to a few swift waves of his wand both his and Daphne's shopping had been shrunk down so they could be fitted into their pockets allowing them to move through the shop with a little more ease.

'Seriously Daphne, why do we always have to come here when we visit Hogsmeade?' Harry said without keeping his voice down.

'We only come here when you're an arse Harry,' Daphne said simply without turning to look at him. She pushed forwards to one of the few empty tables, right at the back of the room. 'It's not my fault you're an arse all the time.'

Harry sighed and tried his best not to trip over his own feet as he followed Daphne through the teashop. It was difficult, even with all his night training from Alastor, his feet were lost under all the snow white, frilly tablecloths that draped down the tables and covered the floor. Death trap didn't do this place justice.

Harry caught Madame Puddifoot, a rather fat woman with a simpering smile, looking at him and Daphne and resisted the urge to groan as she barrelled towards them.

'Don't look now love,' Harry muttered as he joined Daphne at the table, he pulled out her chair and helped her out of her coat revealing that she was wearing her favourite deep blue turtleneck. He bent over so his mouth was by her ear. 'Here comes your bestest friend in the world.'

'Don't be mean Harry.' Daphne giggled as his breath tickled her ear and swatted his arm good-naturedly.

Harry had just sat down, coat over the back of his chair, as Madame Puddifoot somehow squeezed between their table and a couple of Beauxbatons girls sat at the next table over. He assumed they were Beauxbatons students at least, they were talking very quickly in French after all and besides, what self-respecting Durmstrang student would be caught dead in this nightmarish place?

'Daphne, dear! Madame Puddifoot crooned, one fat hand cupped Daphne's cheek as if it was made of finest china. 'Look at you darling, you're growing more beautiful with every passing week. I do wish you could come down more Daphne.'

'We're here every damn Hogsmeade visit,' Harry grumbled into his palm as he looked out over the occupants. His eyes jumped to the exits and the faces of everyone in the room. It was an Auror thing. 'That's more than enough.'

Daphne tried to hide her smirk, and failed, as Madame Puddifoot turned on Harry with a sickly sweet smile. 'And hello to you to Mr Potter, what did you do this time?'

Harry's face grew hot and he bit down on what he wanted to say. It wouldn't help. He'd once thought if he badmouthed the teashop enough he'd get himself banned. It didn't work. Madame Puddifoot loved Daphne too much to care what Harry said.

'He jumped off a beanstalk and put himself in the Hospital Wing for two days,' Daphne said simply over entwined fingers. Her head tilted to one side as she spoke to Madame Puddifoot. 'Put the hot chocolate on his tab please Madame.'

Madame Puddifoot nodded and giggled girlishly behind her hand. The incredibly young gesture on such an old woman always unnerved Harry and he wouldn't be surprised if she did it just to piss him off.

'I don't know why you put up with him dear,' Madame Puddifoot said in a stage whisper to Daphne. 'He's very handsome I know but you could do so much better. I could set you up with one of the Beauxbatons boys if you like? They at least have an appreciation for the finer things in life.' She sniffed and gestured at her shop in a grand sweeping gesture.

Harry didn't quite snarl but the old woman flinched a little all the same.

Harry felt a slight surge of pride until she gave him a smug look and patted Daphne's cheek before bustling off, nearly sending another patron flying as he stood from his chair.

'Bitch,' Harry growled.

'Language Harry.' Daphne shook her head and tried to look stern but a smile crept onto her face. 'She's just winding you up Harry, she likes you really.'

'No, she likes you enough to put up with me. She'd be much happier if you came alone.' Harry glared at the kitchen doorway that was still swinging on its hinges from when the dumpy woman had squished through. 'Bitch would probably spend your entire visit forcing blokes on you who she thought were _'better'_.'

Daphne, who hadn't moved her chin from the grooves between her entwined fingers gave him a teasing smile. 'Why Mr Potter, if I didn't know any better I'd say you were jealous.'

Harry reddened but couldn't bring himself to look at Daphne. Neville's words scratched against the side of his skull for the nth time that day. He shook his head trying to dislodge the traitorous thoughts. 'No love, I'm just stating a fact. The woman is obsessed with matchmaking. Do you remember the first time we came here?'

'Fair point babe.' Daphne burst into a fit of giggles. 'Oh that poor Ravenclaw boy's face!'

Harry chuckled with her and squeezed Daphne's fingers lightly as her hands eased into one of his and held it in the middle of the table.

'Do you remember the look on his face when Tracey turned and full on snogged Hermione?' Daphne smiled fondly. 'Yours and Neville's too. You'd have thought you'd never seen two girls kiss before.'

Harry smirked wolfishly. 'I won't lie, Tracey mumbling 'mm, strawberries' and winking at Neville after breaking the kiss is possibly the hottest and funniest thing she's ever done.'

'Finding lesbians sexier than me now Harry?' Daphne said with a mock sigh as she fiddled with the tablecloth absently. 'What am I going to do with you?'

'I could give you the list?' Harry winked at her.

'Oh?' Daphne pushed up the sleeve of Harry's black long-sleeved top and started tracing delicate patterns over his forearm with one finger. 'I don't need a list Harry, I know what you like.'

Harry blushed again as Daphne held his gaze. She blew him a kiss and Harry felt a stirring around his waist.

'Tease.'

Daphne stopped drawing patterns and gave his forearm a squeeze before taking his hand in hers again. She lifted it to her lips and kissed his knuckles. Her eyes never wandering from his. 'Guilty.'

Harry was stunned into silence so much so that he didn't so much as bat an eyelash when Madame Puddifoot bustled up to their table, clocked the situation and gave Harry a very knowing smile and delicately placed the mugs of hot chocolate, topped with whipped cream and sprinkles just the way Daphne liked it, by their clasped hands before leaving again without saying a word.

Daphne's eyes lit up when she took her first sip of hot chocolate. Harry smiled and took a swig of his own gratefully. He may not like the ditsy old woman but her drinks couldn't be questioned.

The first time he'd been worried the drink would singe his tongue much like the Muggle coffee Remus drank. But the drink was a pleasant warm when it touched the tongue and it slid down your throat effortlessly, heating you up to the furthest reaches of your extremities. The mug even refilled, cream and all, when you finished it. It was _gorgeous_.

Daphne squeezed his hand and smiled at him like she was trying to hold in a laugh when he pulled the mug away from his lips.

'I have cream on my face huh?'

Daphne nodded and smiled demurely as she watched Harry wipe his lips clean. 'It wasn't just that though darling. I was thinking about how you're right that Madame Puddifoot is obsessed with matchmaking. She wasn't the least bit swayed by Tracey's being a lesbian. She called it a challenge remember?'

'Guess we know why Tracey's never come back huh?' Harry asked. 'Don't think she expected her bluff to be called.'

'No, I don't think she did. You know I think that's the only time I've ever seen her _that_ frightened?' Daphne let go of his hand and pulled her chair around the table so it was facing out with her back against the wall.

Harry took the hint and, much to his relief as he'd been paranoid about not having his back against the wall as it was, moved his round too so they were sat next to each other as opposed to across.

She took his hand again and gave it a comforting squeeze as she rested her head on his shoulder.

They sat together like that for a while, just holding hands and sipping their drinks. It was lovely and it for a few blissful moments Harry almost thought Daphne had forgotten about his promise to tell her what happened with Neville at the celebration party.

Almost.

'Speaking of friends, you said you'd tell me what happened with Neville once we got here.' She poked his chest lightly. 'So tell me, what happened that's got you on edge so much?'

'I also promised to squeeze your arse in private next time,' Harry tried to sound blasé while inside his heart was pounding. The scratching was back but he kept his tone light and thanked Merlin for years of Auror standard training from Alastor and his father. Though he doubted they ever expected he'd use their training like this. 'We're somewhere private Daph …'

'Harry, you promised,' Daphne said sternly. She nudged him playfully all the same though. 'Squeeze my bum after.'

Harry snaked his arm around her back and draped his hand over her tummy. He pulled her closer and she nestled against him instinctively.

He gave her tummy feather light tickles and Daphne wiggled with laughter under his fingertips.

'Harry stop!' She hissed and grabbed his hand to stop the tickling. 'Tickling me, no matter how nice it feels, won't make me forget that you're avoiding my question.'

Harry emptied his mug and set it aside, it filled up again almost instantly. He reached for it again.

'Harry, you're starting to worry me. Please tell me.' Daphne's hand was on his outstretched arm and her eyes were wide and pleading. Classic puppy dog eyes. 'It can't be that bad.'

Harry let his fingers slide out of the handle of his mug and he turned to face Daphne.

'It didn't go well love. He wouldn't listen to me.'

Daphne sighed but Harry wasn't sure if it was out of disappointment or weary acceptance. He wasn't even sure who it was directed at, him or Neville but Daphne clearly hadn't expected it to go well.

'Okay Harry but that doesn't explain why you've been weird around me though.' Daphne placed a hand on his cheek and her pretty lips bent into a frown. 'Did Neville say something about me?'

Damn she was smart, scary smart. How in Merlin's name could she cotton on that Neville had said something about her so quickly? He wished he could make such quick connections when it came to people's emotions. Best he could do was pick out when someone was annoyed. That one he knew for certain after having grown up with three of Hogwarts' most infamous pranksters.

Anything else? He was scuppered. Daphne had always been good at it. Especially with him. He wouldn't be surprised if she had some empathic traits in her magic. He'd have to look into that at some point, empathy magic could be really interesting …

'Harry?' Daphne stroked his face with her thumb. 'What did Neville say about me?'

Harry shook his head slightly and sighed. She couldn't give him a better opening to ask the question Neville's words had embedded into his sub-conscious. He couldn't wuss out now. He'd never ask if he did and he _had _to know.

Gryffindors are brave you fucking coward, just ask the girl if she loves you and deal with the backlash like a Merlin damned man!

Harry summoned up his courage and looked into Daphne's eyes and just felt the words barrel out over his tongue.

'Neville said that if I were to go off kissing other girls that I would hurt you. He had a proper go at me about it. He basically said you loved me.' Harry paused as dread flooded in. He swallowed and bulled through though. 'Do you?'

Daphne paused for a full five seconds. She didn't move, she didn't speak, Harry wasn't even sure she breathed for those five seconds. Daphne Greengrass had become as still as a Muggle painting.

He actually felt relief at first. He had asked her if she loved him. He'd actually done it. Chances were he'd just ruined his last remaining real friendship because of it but at least he'd know the answer. That was some kind of small comfort he guessed.

But as the seconds ticked by he started to worry. Daphne was never stunned to silence, never. Well there was the first time he'd come into his bedroom from the shower in nothing but a towel and she'd just stopped and stared at him …

'Oh Harry,' Daphne said finally with several shakes of her head. Her hair billowed to a rest as she stroked his cheek. 'Oh Harry, Harry, Harry. Of course I love you.'

Harry just gaped. She loved him? Sweet Merlin Neville was right! 'You do?'

Daphne shrugged. 'Of course, you're my best friend.'

Harry groaned and let his head rock back out of Daphne's gentle caresses. 'I didn't mean as a friend Daphne.'

Daphne smiled sweetly and sat a bit closer to him. 'I know babe, the answer's the same. I love you because you're my oldest and best friend. Neville is wrong if he thinks you'd hurt me by going off with other girls.'

'But the flirting and the husband and wife jokes,' Harry spluttered. Had Neville really been wrong? Was her love entirely a best friend's love? No, she'd squeezed his arse and said she'd kissed him! Neville hadn't been wrong about those. 'But you said you've kissed me and I know you squeezed my arse earlier. Daphne you go bright red when you see me half naked.'

'I didn't say I didn't fancy you Harry. I'm just not in love with you. Can't blame a girl for wanting to flirt with you, even Madame Puddifoot thinks you're handsome babe, I'm only human after all.' Daphne shook her head and smiled coyly. 'Besides, you do all the same things, do you love me?'

Harry blushed. Did he? He'd spent so much time trying to figure out what Daphne's feelings towards him were that he hadn't really factored in his own feelings. He'd only really focused on the fact that she was his friend and that she was really freaking hot.

That wasn't what love should be was it? Just his best female friend that he fancied the pants off of. So maybe he didn't love her that way either? This was so confusing.

'I don't know Daphne, I know I fancy you too, who wouldn't? And I love you but I'm not sure if it's like … that … you know what I mean?' Harry tried not to sound as stupid as he felt. Why had he believed Neville's judgement over his own anyway? Neville didn't know Daphne better than he did. Harry should have trusted his instincts.

Daphne's cheeks were slightly red but she was still smiling that same coy smile that made him want to push her against a wall and kiss her face off. Oh yeah, definitely fancied her.

'I do, it's exactly how I feel.' Daphne patted his cheek. 'Harry, I love you as a friend but that really is it. You don't have to worry about hurting me. All this? All the flirting and the teasing? It's just a bit of fun.'

'Fun huh?' Harry sighed and smiled in relief.

'Yes, fun.' Daphne winked. 'I certainly find it fun winding you up and I thoroughly enjoyed squeezing your bum. Quidditch and duelling practice really has made it quite firm.'

Harry took another swig from his mug and felt the cream cover his lip this time. He went to wipe it away but Daphne beat him to it. She smudged it away slowly with her thumb.

'And I for one, don't think the fun should end just because Neville thinks he knows what's best. Do you?'

When Harry didn't reply Daphne sighed and took a pull on her own filled up mug of hot chocolate. Cream covered both her lips like shaving foam. She started wiping away at the cream instinctively but didn't get it all.

'Daphne stop,' Harry said as he took her hand in his. 'You've missed some.'

'Oh?' Daphne's voice was a little high and she pursed her lips as she leant a little closer to Harry. 'Where did I miss?

'It's on your lips.' Harry nodded, he could feel his cheeks heating up. Surely she knew where. He ran his thumb over her lips and froze when he felt Daphne suck a little on his thumb.

'Did you get all of it?' Daphne asked in a sultry voice. It shouldn't have worked from a fourteen year old girl. But Merlin it did.

'Yeah.'

Daphne pouted and gave him a pointed look. 'Well that's no _fun_.'

'I guess I owe a bit of fun huh babe?' Harry asked his voice getting steadily quieter as he inched closer to Daphne's waiting lips. When his lips were almost touching hers his voice was barely louder than a whisper. 'Let's see if this gets all of it.'

Harry closed his eyes and pressed his lips against Daphne's. It didn't last long, just a quick peck, but he loved every millisecond of it. Lightning tingled over his lips and he could taste the wetness of her lip-gloss. He licked his lips to take in as much of her taste as he could. Why hadn't they kissed before if that's how it felt?

He didn't want to open his eyes in case Daphne hadn't enjoyed the kiss as much as he had. In case she was angry or disappointed but he couldn't sit here all day with his eyes closed.

Daphne's smiling face greeted him. It was still close to his, to everyone else they'd look like they were still kissing.

'You know I prefer kissing you when you're awake,' Daphne muttered, her eyes were partially closed and she gave her lips a quick lick. 'Feels less creepy.'

'Yeah,' Harry said dumbly. His eyes kept darting to her lips. He wanted to kiss her again. 'Think we need to do it again, knowing you, you probably kissed me a lot while I was asleep. Not that I can blame you. I mean look at me.'

'Mm, yes, _look at you_.' Daphne wrapped her arms around his neck, pushed her fingers up into his hair and kissed him fiercely before Harry could say another word.

His hands instinctively went to her hips and one hand ran down her lower back to cup her arse and gave it a good squeeze. Daphne lurched forwards and held him tighter, her developing breasts pressing against his chest. Harry gave her arse another squeeze.

He opened his mouth mostly in shock when Daphne deepened the kiss in response by licking his lower lip in a silent plea for admission. Her tongue dove into his, appropriately Harry thought, like a snake the second he opened it. Daphne's wet muscle took advantage of his shock and wrestled his tongue into submission so quickly Harry would be ashamed if he wasn't enjoying the kiss so much.

The taste of her filled his senses and he could feel himself getting light headed from the effect. He heard her moan against his lips and Harry felt himself stiffen to attention.

Daphne pulled away before it became a problem, a small bit of saliva linked their lips before falling free of them.

'Mm,' Daphne said in a low voice. '_Strawberries._'

Harry laughed. He couldn't help it.

Daphne quickly joined in with girlish, breathy laughs.

They laughed together, their foreheads touching the entire time.

Daphne sobered first and took Harry's chin in her hand. 'Harry, that was fun.'

'Yeah.' Harry could agree with that and Merlin did he want to kiss her again. 'It was.'

Daphne's expression was serious though. 'Just fun though, you understand? This doesn't make me your girlfriend and despite what Neville says, this won't make me upset if you kiss other girls. Understood?'

Harry studied her face looking for a hint of a lie. Proof that she did want to be his girlfriend but was just hoping he'd be a damn man about it and ask her out himself.

But it wasn't there. It was honestly just a bit of fun to her. She wouldn't be hurt if he went off and had fun with another girl. He wasn't hurting her. Neville was wrong.

Oh. Thank. Merlin!

'Understood.' Harry moved so he could kiss her forehead. 'Still want to kiss me though love?'

'You think I'd stop after years of waiting Potter?' Daphne asked with a hand pressed against his chest. 'Took you damn long enough to make a move.'

Harry gave her arse another squeeze and watched Daphne's eyes briefly flutter closed. 'Sorry for keeping you waiting love. Let me make it up to you.'

'How do you plan to do that?' Daphne smiled impishly and Harry nearly kissed her again then and there.

'Go to the Yule Ball with me Mrs Potter?'

'Of course Mr Potter.' Daphne beamed. 'Thought you'd never ask. Though I'm guessing you've got something special planned if you're asking me?'

'We'll talk about it later.' Harry placed a finger to her lips to stop her talking. 'Now, come here and let's see if _I _can taste the strawberries this time.'

* * *

Harry grinned as he floated the Golden Egg in circles around his Champions Quarters with a point of his fingers as he lay with his feet up on the sofa.

He really was getting the hang of casting some of the basic spells without the use of his wand. He wouldn't be lifting boulders this way any time soon but considering he shouldn't even be able to lift the egg off the ground yet, let alone float it around the room … well safe to say he was happy for now.

He let his eyes wander around the room looking for what he'd try levitating next. His lips quirked upwards and he let the egg drop into his waiting hands as it passed over his head.

Harry would have preferred to keep floating the egg around the room to flex his magical muscles but he was under strict orders from Daphne to keep his magic to a minimum for at least a week and he wasn't going to the risk not being able to kiss her again cus she found out he'd lied.

It really was a remarkable incentive to behave. McGonagall would probably kill to have that kind of power over him. Oh well, the Scotswoman would just have to deal with it.

Harry was suddenly struck with the image of McGonagall kissing him and he quickly stamped it down. He had enough nightmares running around his head, he didn't need anymore. Freaking imagination.

Harry clutched the egg in his hands and stared at it in an effort to chase the disturbing image out of his mind once and for all and to start thinking about how the egg was supposed to help him with the second task of the tournament.

But all it did was make him think back to the day before last and the time he'd spent in the teashop, and then his quarters when the sun had started to set, with Daphne and the taste of her lips on his.

Harry could only wish he'd kissed her before. Oh well, they'd have plenty of time to make up for it. Being 'friends with benefits', or that's what Harry thought Daphne had said, was possibly the greatest thing they'd ever done. Even if he wasn't sure what it actually was.

Apparently it was something Daphne found during some homework for Muggle Studies. It was a term used for couples that messed around without actually being together while still remaining friends. The best thing? Those people could then go off with other people without cheating on the person they were friends with benefits with.

Merlin bless those horny Muggles, they'd given him and Daphne the best of both worlds.

It would probably piss off their friends but it worked for them and that was all that really mattered. Besides if it meant he got to keep kissing Daphne and exploring more of her developing body with no strings, well he wasn't going to complain that was for damn sure.

Her whispered promises in his ear while they'd been making out on the sofa flickered through his mind constantly and it was the most wonderful distraction he'd ever known.

But in true Daphne fashion, before she'd expanded on those promises properly she'd given him one last long kiss and hopped off his lap. She'd then ordered him to find the clue to the egg soon because she wasn't going to kiss him again until he had it figured out.

Harry would've called bullshit, Daphne enjoyed kissing him just as much as he did her and she'd break soon, but she walked out of the room before he could. She even gave her hips an attention grabbing sway as she walked away just to leave him mesmerised by her arse. He didn't snap out of it until his door slammed shut and Daphne was gone.

That was two days ago and, true to her word, Daphne hadn't let him kiss her since. He'd spent all his spare time holed up in his quarters with the golden egg.

'Crafty little witch to the core,' Harry muttered to himself as he rolled the egg around in his hands some more. 'Well she's a Slytherin Potter, what else did you expect?'

Harry chuckled at his joke and started to juggle the egg between his hands like he did during Quidditch practice with the Quaffle. It helped him think.

He stopped throwing the egg around and inspected the casing instead of just staring at it vacantly.

It was completely blank all over. Harry had hoped for some kind of outward clue when he'd first looked at the egg before Daphne's duel. There was nothing obvious, no etchings of what creatures he might face next or challenges he would have to overcome. Nothing just a shiny gold surface that reflected his face back at him.

The only visual clues were the latches on one side of the egg. Harry thought the egg would probably open easily enough but he had had to run off to Daphne's duel before he could take a proper look.

Besides, he didn't want to open it just yet, the egg casing might just be a brilliant shade of gold but there had to be something on the outside to give him some kind of hint. Maybe it would only be activated with magic?

He ran his hand over the egg and muttered some Latin under his breath as his fingertips glided over the surface. Nothing.

Harry frowned and tried again, only with his eyes closed. He did this for a minute before cracking open his eye to see if there was anything different but again there was nothing.

Maybe he just wasn't able to focus his magic enough right now? If he tried his wand would he get different results? He was getting better with wandless and silent magic but maybe not good enough. Wizards used their wands as a focus point for their magic after all. Most could do little bits of wandless magic here and there but it took real skill to do anything big.

Or what if it was just because he was still recovering from magical exhaustion? He hadn't been out of the Hospital Wing that long really and despite appearances Harry knew his magic wasn't back in full swing just yet either.

Well he'd just have to deal and not try more magic on the egg until after he'd got his magical strength back. Which meant not kissing Daphne until at least then … fuck that.

There was one last thing he hadn't tried yet and really it probably should have been the first thing he'd done but he'd been so sure the answer would be complicated to get. Simple answers were always more his thing though so it couldn't hurt to try that approach.

Harry opened the latches on the side of the egg and cracked it open a little.

There wasn't an immediate reaction so Harry gave the egg a twirl in his hands to look for words or marks or anything really. There was no change though. All he saw was a distorted reflection of his frowning face.

Not deterred though Harry opened the egg even more, expecting to find something on the inside.

As Harry opened it further though a loud shrieking erupted from the egg and deafened Harry.

He clutched at his ears and dropped the egg onto the sofa. It continued to scream as it rolled on its' side and over the edge of the cushion to the floor below.

Harry clambered to try and catch the egg but the shrieking was too much on his ears and he couldn't move in time.

It hit the floor with a loud clunk and snapped shut. The shrieks mercifully stopped and Harry could focus again. Even if there was definite ringing in his ears. He'd not forget that sound for a while that was for damn sure.

Harry retrieved the egg from the floor and placed it gingerly on the glass coffee table in front of the sofa. He closed the latches to make sure the thing wouldn't swing open again and take his hearing for good.

Now he could think clearly again though, Harry's mind was off like a shot.

The shrieking had to be the clue to the next task. A really fucking vague and painful one but still a clue of some sort.

Could it be a warning? That the next task would involve a lot of pain?

Harry scoffed. No shit it was gonna involve pain. It was the Triwizard Tournament. Even Bagman wouldn't be so dense to think that was a clue.

It was possibly a reference to another creature the champions would have to get around or even defeat. Banshees killed their prey by shrieking at them until their ear drums popped, not to mention the endless amounts of damage done to the organs by a banshee's scream. Nasty things.

Seamus Finnigan's Boggart had been a banshee so he at least knew where to start if it was a banshee they had to deal with next. He doubted he'd just be able to silence it though … Hm. He would have to take another look at banshees to see if there were any other weaknesses.

It might not be a banshee though, other magical beings shrieked. Dementors had been known to let out a rasping shriek when threatened or attacked. The thought of facing down a Dementor wasn't an encouraging one. He'd much rather take the banshee. He could kill that. Dementors were immortal as far as Harry knew. Yeah, definitely take the banshee.

But he decided to look into Dementors all the same, wouldn't hurt to be prepared.

Though there was one last creature that came to mind when it came to shrieking. Alastor had once mentioned that the Merfolk spoke in shrieks above land _and _there were Merfolk in the Black Lake.

Harry had never seen them himself but Sirius had once. During a late night tryst down on the grounds Sirius swore blind that he'd seen a Mermaid pop her head up out of the lake as he and his latest conquest were in the middle of the deed. He'd complained that he nearly hadn't been able to finish, the Mermaid's freakish appearance freaked him out so much.

Sirius could be lying though, he did a lot of it after all and if his pride was on the line he'd lie til he was blue in the face.

However Dumbledore was rumoured to speak Mermish and to have a friendly relationship with a Mer-Chieftainess. It wouldn't be too surprising if Hogwarts had its own tribe of Merfolk …

Harry shook his head to get rid of the idea. It was ridiculous.

Even if there were Merfolk in the Black Lake Dumbledore wouldn't risk their safety by bringing danger to their waters. It would cause an uproar not only with the Merfolk themselves but the charity foundations protecting magical creatures' rights. Merfolk were rare and dying out, they needed protecting.

So no, not Merfolk.

Harry tried to think of other creatures that shrieked but other than a few magical birds and lizards Harry had nothing.

Harry yawned and looked at his watch. It was late … or early. He gave the egg one last weary look and shook his head.

He would go to the library tomorrow and find some books on banshees and Dementors, maybe he'd ask Alastor what he knew? Yeah he'd do that. He was the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, it wouldn't be cheating if Harry asked him about some dark creatures.

Merlin bless those loopholes.

Harry yawned again and, with a flick of his wrist, doused the candles around the room and headed to bed.

He'd just have to have another go at the egg in the morning.


End file.
